ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - The Iraqi Presidency on Friday condemned military shelling that targeted vital locations, civilian facilities, and security headquarters in several areas of the country, particularly in Erbil and Sulaimani in the Kurdistan Region.

In a statement, the Presidency said the attacks were “unjustified military actions” that could undermine security and stability in Iraq and the wider region, coming as Iran and pro-Iran groups have repeatedly bombed the Kurdistan Region, while US-Israeli strikes have targeted Iran-affiliated factions across Iraq.

The Presidency called for an immediate halt to the escalation and urged parties to turn to dialogue and political and diplomatic solutions to address the crisis.

It also stressed the need to unify the national front and strengthen coordination between the federal government in Baghdad and the Kurdistan Regional Government [KRG] to confront current challenges and maintain the country’s stability.

The KRG has critcized Baghdad for failing to rein in the activities of pro-Iran groups launching attacks, with President Masoud Barzani having warned that "patience has its limits" amid the nightly bombardment of the Region.

On Wednesday, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani held a phone call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, telling him that Iranian strikes on Iraqi territory are "unacceptable" and Iraq will not be used as a "launching pad" for attacks on its neighbor.

The presidency also offered condolences to the families of those killed in Iraq’s provinces and the Kurdistan Region as a result of the recent attacks, wishing a swift recovery for the wounded.

The condemnation comes as the Kurdistan Region has faced repeated drone and missile attacks in recent days amid escalating regional tensions.

On Thursday, a drone strike targeted a joint Peshmerga-French training base in the Mala Qara area of Makhmour district, southwest of Erbil, wounding killing one French soldier and wounding several more.

Earlier the same week, a separate drone strike hit an Italian military site in Erbil that hosts NATO personnel involved in training Iraqi and Kurdish forces.

Several other drone and missile strikes were also reported in different parts of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region in recent days, targeting sites hosting Global Coalition forces and US forces amid the ongoing regional escalation.