In the last three days, there have been increasing clashes between a Kurdish Iranian opposition group and elements of the Iranian regime.
The clashes appear to have taken place in several towns and cities in western Iran’s Kurdish region. It also appears as if members of the armed Kurdish group have targeted several Kurds accused of collaborating with the Iranian regime.
This is a reminder of the complexity in the Kurdish region.
There are numerous Kurdish opposition groups, and there are also some Kurds who have worked for the regime.
Reports online also indicated that a new Kurdish armed group called Xori Hiwa (Sun of Hope) had taken responsibility for one attack. Usually when new group names appear, it is only a way to segment an existing armed group, not an actual new group emerging.
Deadly clashes in western Iran, fighters killed on both sides
According to the Kurdish media outlet Rudaw, “an Iranian Kurdish opposition group said on Tuesday that four of its fighters were killed in clashes with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Iran’s West Azerbaijan province, threatening to retaliate.”
The report says that the East Kurdistan Defense Units (YRK), which is described as the armed wing of the Free Life Party of Kurdistan (PJAK), has been involved in the clashes. The YRK members “resisted until the very last drop of their blood and were heroically martyred.” They were killed near Mahabad.
A different report online showed four rifles that the Iranian regime allegedly recovered from the scene of the clash. Two of the rifles were standard AK-47s, while one of the rifles appeared to be of a different origin.
The YRK believes that the IRGC also suffered casualties in the clash. “The IRGC and the YRK have engaged in sporadic clashes across Baneh, Paveh, and Mahabad – where the Kurdish group maintains mobile forces – since Saturday.
Both sides have sustained casualties, with the IRGC confirming the killing of two senior Basij militia members on Monday,” Rudaw noted. For instance, six IRGC members were also killed in a different clash on June 30.
PJAK is believed to be one of the largest Kurdish opposition groups. It is a far-left group with the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).
Turkey views the PKK as a terrorist group and is wary of seeing PJAK fight the Iranian regime. Other Kurdish parties are members of the opposition coalition, including the PDKI, PAK, Khabat and Komala.
Many of them have bases in the Kurdish region of northern Iraq. Iran and Iranian-backed proxies in Iraq have targeted these Kurdish groups over the last few months.
“We have not taken the side of any power, nor have we launched any attacks against the Iranian regime,” the YRK said, according to Rudaw. Iran is believed to be cracking down on the Kurdish area as Iran also threatens the Gulf and is involved in talks with the US.
Hengaw, a human rights groups that closely follows Kurdish issues in Iran, wrote on June 30 that there have been “multiple armed clashes in recent weeks between fighters of the Eastern Kurdistan Defense Units (YRK) – the armed wing of the Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK) – and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in several cities have left at least seven people dead, including three Iranian military personnel and four YRK guerrillas.”
The report argues that “the latest clash occurred between YRK fighters and the IRGC in Mahabad on Sunday, June 28, 2026. YRK had previously confirmed the confrontation in a statement.”
Checkpoint clash, 4 IRGC killed
It also says there was an armed clash “at the entrance to Baneh and at a checkpoint on the Baneh-Saqqez road between YRK fighters and Iranian security forces. The confrontation, which took place on the evening of Friday, June 26, killed two members of the Iranian security forces, Mardin Ahmadi, a conscript from Saqqez serving his mandatory military service, and IRGC sergeant Mohammad Hossein Beigi.
Four other security personnel and one civilian were also wounded.” Another clash happened on June 10 near the Khawmirabad border area near Marivan. “Several armed confrontations have also been reported in recent weeks in Piranshahr and Paveh.”
A new group, called Xori Hiwa (Sun of Hope), has claimed responsibility for an attack in Paveh that killed two IRGC members, the report said.
The report named those killed in the attack as “Khaled Khaledi and Borhan Karisani” and said the attack “seriously wounded two others. The group has also reported recent clashes between its fighters and IRGC forces in Piranshahr.”
In mid-June Hengaw noted that “the Islamic Republic of Iran has carried out at least 50 missile and suicide-drone attacks against the headquarters, camps, and residential compounds of Kurdish-Iranian opposition parties based in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq since the ceasefire that ended the 40-day war involving Iran, the United States, and Israel.”
The report at the time said, “the latest attack took place on Tuesday, June 16, when Kurdish opposition party positions were once again targeted following reports of a new agreement between Iran and the United States.”
