Image: from β¦β¦β¦ πΏππππππππ β¦β¦β¦ X @PamphletsY
By Open Chronicle Staff with Agencies | March 11, 2026
ERBIL, KURDISTAN REGION β The Iraqi armed faction Saraya Awliya al-Dam has claimed responsibility for a series of “special operations” targeting American military installations, further intensifying the multi-front conflict currently engulfing the Middle East.
In a statement released Wednesday, the group, a prominent member of the “Islamic Resistance in Iraq” network, announced it had carried out four distinct strikes against U.S. bases both inside and outside of Iraqi territory over the preceding 24 hours. The group framed the escalation as a direct act of vengeance for the death of Iranβs late Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed during the opening salvos of the U.S.-Israeli campaign in late February.
π¦πͺπ₯ The UAE consulate in Erbil city, located in northern Iraq, was targeted by a drone attack by resistance groups. So far, no information released about the casualties.#Iran #US #UAE pic.twitter.com/pRdIeGsTum
— IWN (@A7_Mirza) March 9, 2026
ERBIL IN THE CROSSHAIRS
The Kurdistan Region, particularly its capital Erbil, has become a primary flashpoint in this proxy struggle. According to local reports:
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Targeted Sites: The group claimed hits on the U.S. Consulate in Erbil and Erbil International Airport.
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IRGC Involvement: This follows a separate claim by Iranβs Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) that it launched five missiles at the Harir airbase on Tuesday.
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Drone Warfare: Erbilβs governor recently noted that over 200 drones have targeted the city since the start of the war, creating a state of constant high alert for civilian and military personnel alike.
THE TOLL ON THE GROUND
The conflict is taking a heavy toll on Iraqβs paramilitary structures. On Tuesday, a U.S.-Israeli strike reportedly hit a base belonging to Kataib al-Imam Ali in Kirkukβs Dibis district, resulting in the deaths of four members. The “Islamic Resistance” cited these deaths, along with the “aggression” against Iranian leadership, as the primary motivators for their latest drone and missile campaign.
A REGION CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE
Iraq occupies a precarious and unique position in the current war, serving as the only territory being actively struck by both sides. While U.S. and Israeli forces target Iran-aligned militias within Iraqi borders, those same militias, acting as Iranian proxies, launch retaliatory strikes against U.S. diplomatic and military missions in Baghdad and Erbil.
As missiles and drones continue to transit the skies over the Kurdistan Region, President Nechirvan Barzani has called on the federal government in Baghdad to take responsibility for halting these “destructive attacks,” warning that “outlaw extremist groups” are threatening to pull the entire nation into a catastrophic regional conflagration.