Iraq Kurdish officials claim Iran invaded their territory

Iranian military has invaded Iraqi territory in pursuit of members of Iranian Kurdish group, PJAK, Reuters was told by a spokesman for Iraq's Kurdish Regional government.

The spokesman maintains that in the past three days, Iranian forces have entered Iraqi territory at least twice chasing PJAK forces. The report states that Iranian military proceeded up to two kilometres into Arbil Province of Iraq with military vehicles and a tank.

An Iraqi general, Jaber Yavar called the act a “brazen invasion” of Iraqi borders and urged Iraqi government to take firm actions against it.

Nozad Hadi, governor of Arbil also announced that he has informed officials of the Kurdistan Regional Government to take the necessary actions.

The attacks, aimed at the Party for a Free Life (PJAK), a Kurdish militant nationalist group, are carried out in the mountainous region of Iraqi Kurdistan and forced the villagers caught in the middle to flee their homes and caused the death of at least one woman. They claim that the Islamic Republic has been shelling the area for over a week.

Tehran regards PJAK as a terrorist organization that has been using bases in the north east of Iraq to carry out attacks against Iran.