ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — In a somber ceremony, Governor of Erbil Omed Khoshnaw, representing Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, participated in the funeral procession of Karam Mikhail, a UK-born individual residing in the United Arab Emirates. Mikhail lost his life in the recent Iranian missile strike on Erbil, which took place on Monday night.

The Governorate of Erbil issued a statement, noting the attendance of government officials, party representatives, and relatives of the deceased at the funeral. The ceremony paid tribute to Mikhail, who was a guest at the residence of the Kurdish businessman Beshrow Dizay when the Iranian missiles hit.

Karam Mikhail's family, originally from the Nineveh Plains and currently residing in the United Kingdom, will receive his body for burial. The funeral procession highlighted the international aspect of the tragedy, as the victim had ties to both the UK and the UAE.

Erbil, a city known for its stability, experienced a ballistic missile attack claimed by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard on Monday night. The attack resulted in the tragic loss of five civilian lives and left six others injured.

The Kurdistan Region Security Council denounced the attack, stating that the Revolutionary Guard's claim that the targeting was aimed at Iranian opposition sites was baseless. The Council emphasized Erbil's status as a stable region that has never posed a threat to any party, condemning the violation of the Kurdistan Region and Iraq's sovereignty.

Prime Minister Masrour Barzani called on the federal government to take a decisive stance against this violation. He condemned the attack on Erbil and urged the international community not to remain silent in the face of such injustice.

President Masoud Barzani expressed his concerns, pointing out that Erbil has been a repeated target of missile attacks by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard since 2020. He underscored the gravity of these attacks, characterizing them as clear acts of aggression against the people of the Kurdistan Region.

In response to the Iranian attacks, the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Iraqi Ambassador to Tehran, Nasir Abdul Mohsen, for consultations. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the recent attacks on Erbil, which resulted in casualties.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi condemned the Erbil bombing as a clear act of aggression that undermines the strong relationship between Baghdad and Tehran. He asserted that the Iraqi government retains the right to take diplomatic and legal measures in response to the violation of national sovereignty.

As the region mourns the loss of innocent lives, international attention is drawn to the ongoing tensions and the need for diplomatic solutions to ensure the safety and security of the Kurdistan Region and its people.