Kurdish President mourns Asayish officer killed in drone strike

Shafaq News- Erbil

Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani on Sunday offered condolences over the death of an Asayish officer killed in a drone strike near Erbil International Airport the previous night.

In a message on X, Barzani extended sympathy to the family and colleagues of Welat Taher, an Asayish member assigned to the airport, noting that he was killed while performing his duty to safeguard the country’s security following a “treacherous and unjust terrorist attack” targeting the Region. He also wished a swift recovery to the injured.

پرسە و سەرەخۆشیی قووڵی خۆم ئاراستەی بنەماڵە و کەسوکار و هاوکارانی شەهید وڵات تاهیر، کارمەندی ئاسایشی فڕۆکەخانەی نێودەوڵەتیی هەولێر دەکەم و هاوخەمیانم. شەهید وڵات لە ئەنجامی هێرش و پەلامارێکی تیرۆریستیی ناڕەوا و ستەمکارانە بۆ سەر هەرێمی کوردستان، لە کاتی ڕاپەڕاندنی ئەرکەکەیدا بۆ…

— Nechirvan Barzani (@IKRPresident) March 8, 2026

A security source earlier confirmed to Shafaq News that the officer died after a drone struck the vicinity of Erbil International Airport on Saturday evening.

The Kurdistan Region has recently seen rising military tensions, with strategic sites —including Harir Air Base and Erbil International Airport— coming under repeated rocket and drone attacks amid the ongoing confrontation between Iran, the United States, and Israel.

Read more: Kurdistan navigates escalating US-Iran confrontation