TEHRAN – The military operations that the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) ground force has conducted for about four years along Iran’s northwestern border have forced terrorists to retreat into the inner parts of the Iraqi Kurdistan region, the force’s commander said on Saturday.
Addressing a conference, Brigadier General Muhammad Pakpour touched on measures taken by his forces to ensure security at border areas.
He said IRGC troops have been conducting operations in the northwestern parts of Iran for some four years to establish security along the common border with Iraq.
Military operations have forced the terrorists to leave the areas near the border with Iran and withdraw to locations deep inside the Iraqi Kurdistan region, the commander added.
“In fact, IRGC operations were in progress until the Iraqi government’s officials asked us to halt the operations,” General Pakpour stated.
The IRGC launched several rounds of heavy strikes on the positions of separatist groups in Iraq’s Kurdistan region in 2022.
The first stage of the attacks began on September 24, 2022, after terrorists’ move to ignite riots and unrest along border cities west of Iran.
IRGC operations against Iraq-based Komalah and other terrorist groups came after their infiltrations into Iran’s border cities.
“These terrorists who are backed by the global arrogance and are based in the Iraqi northern region were forced to flee the country after accepting heavy casualties,” he said.
The IRGC underlined that Iran on many occasions has warned officials of the Iraqi Kurdistan region about the terrorist groups’ activities in the region but they have failed to pay necessary attention to the warnings and take proper measures to prevent terrorist moves.
It also described the operations by the Iranian forces as part of efforts to ensure durable security along borders and punish criminal terrorists.