ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – The armed wing of Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK), an Iranian Kurdish opposition group, confirmed Tuesday that four of its members were killed in recent clashes with government forces in western Iran's (Rojhelat) Mahabad, and warned that the escalation will not go unanswered.

Since early June, clashes have erupted between opposition groups and the Islamic republic’s forces in western Iran’s Kurdish majority regions (Rojhelat), leading to casualties on both sides on several occasions.

The altercations have taken place in the cities of Marivan, Baneh, Mahabad, Piranshahr, and Paveh, among others.

The Eastern Kurdistan Units (YRK), PJAK’s armed wing, described the ongoing skirmishes, as a “military operation” in the village of Gagesh near Mahabad and surrounding areas, saying “a large force with heavy weapons attacked our [YRK] forces.”

The fighting has reportedly intensified since Saturday. The YRK said that four of its members, two males and two females, were killed on Saturday, contradicting Iranian state media's claim that six opposition members had been killed. State media also published footage showing the bodies of four opposition fighters.

According to information obtained by The New Region, two other YRK fighters survived with injuries.

In recent days, Iran announced that two members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) were killed in the clashes with opposition groups, which informed sources believe might be referring to Saturday's episode.

Following Iran's recent peace deal with the US, Iranian forces have significantly “intensified their attacks against our people and our forces," the group said, adding that Tehran is “taking advantage of the current situation and targeting our forces with cowardly attacks.”

“We had previously announced that if these attacks continue, our stance toward these attacks will be different, and now once again we clarify that we will not remain without a response,” YRK said.

Iran routinely targets and clashes with Iranian Kurdish opposition parties such as Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK), the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI), Komala, and PJAK, which are based in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. 

Tehran designates these groups as “terrorists” and has frequently carried out cross-border attacks against them. These groups, which seek greater rights for Iran’s marginalized Kurdish population, have fought an on-and-off conflict with the Islamic republic for decades.

Iran's judiciary said on Tuesday that, following numerous complaints from “private plaintiffs,” it had issued judicial rulings and Interpol red notices against several leaders and members of the opposition groups.

The judiciary added that it had also submitted extradition requests to the countries where the individuals are believed to reside.

A newly-formed armed group known as Khori Hiwa, meaning “Sun of Hope” in Kurdish, has also recently become active in Rojhelat, clashing with government forces in Paveh, leading to casualties among IRGC-linked personnel.