ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Kurdistan Region Security Council (KRSC) has blamed the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) for an attack on a Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) official in Sulaimani province.
The PKK targeted a senior party official in Kalar city on Monday by attaching explosives to his car, the KRSC said in a statement Tuesday.
“This destructive group, over the past three years, has targeted several citizens and members of Kurdistan’s defence forces,” said the KRSC, vowing that the Kalar attack “will not pass unresponded.”
“The leadership of the group are responsible for any consequences and responses,” the KRSC statement read.
Akram Salih, the head of the KDP’s 22nd branch in Kalar, said his vehicle was struck by an explosion while parked in front of his house on Monday morning. Salih’s chauffeur and assistant suffered minor injuries in the explosion.
In a phone call with the KDP official, fellow party member Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani “condemned the terrorist attack and all political terror attempts, stressing that authorities are investigating the case to find the perpetrators and bring them to justice,” according to a statement from the presidency.
Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, who is also a KDP leader, condemned the “terrorist act” against Salih.
Authorities in Garmiyan administration have launched an investigation into the incident but have not provided an official statement.
The PKK on Wednesday denied it was behind the attack.
"We express our clear and unequivocal rejection of this unjust and baseless accusation," said the group in a statement.
In April, the vehicle of a former politburo member of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) was blown up in Sulaimani’s Sarchinar neighborhood, causing no casualties.
