The premises of an airfield used by Iraqi Kurdish forces pictured in Arbat, near Sulaimaniyah, in the Iraqi Kurdistan region (AFP)

The Iraqi Ministry of Defense confirmed on Tuesday that three members of Iraqi Kurdistan's anti-terrorism forces were killed and three others were injured in a drone strike that hit an airfield near Sulaimaniyah region.

In a statement, Iraqi Armed Forces Spokesperson Yahya Rasoul indicated that on Monday, a drone entered Iraqi airspace across the border with Turkey and shelled Arbat Airport.

Rasoul stressed that this aggression constitutes a violation of Iraq's sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity. He added that the attack represents a breach and threat to peace and security in the region and the world, a violation of the provisions of international law, and a violation of the principles and purposes of the United Nations Charter.

The Iraqi army spokesperson considered that such repeated attacks are not consistent with the principle of good-neighborly relations between countries and threaten to undermine Iraq's efforts to build good and balanced political, economic, and security relations with its neighbors.

Elsewhere, Rasoul stressed that Iraq reserves the right to put an end to these violations.

On its part, Iraqi Kurdistan's anti-terrorism services announced that a "thorough investigation" has been launched into this "terrorist crime committed by foreign servants and local spies."

"To protect the investigation, we will preserve the confidentiality of information. In the future we will reveal the truth to the people of Kurdistan," it added.

In April 2023, Iraq accused Turkey of carrying out a "bombardment" in the vicinity of the airport in the city of Sulaimaniyah, which prompted the Iraqi presidency to demand an apology from Turkey, saying the Turkish government must stop hostilities on Iraqi territory.

This comes as Turkey in recent weeks intensified its airstrikes against the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which Ankara designates as a "terrorist organization".

Over the past 25 years, Turkey has unlawfully set up dozens of military bases in the Iraqi Kurdistan region under the pretext of fighting the group in violation of Iraqi sovereignty and territorial integrity.

On Sunday, the Iraqi-Kurdish authorities said a Turkish drone strike in northern Iraq killed at least four members of the PKK.