To:
The Kurdish community!
Political parties and organizations of Kurdistan!
Concerned authorities of the Kurdistan Regional Government!
International Community!
As per previous announcements of Kurdistan Democratic Party’s public relations to the public opinion, the media outlets and concerned authorities: With great sorrow, we confirm that on the evening of Thursday, August 5th, Mr. Mousa Babakhani, member of Kurdistan Democratic Party’s Central Committee, was assassinated by the Islamic Republic of Iran’s terrorists in Erbil.
Mr. Mousa Babakhani, born in 1981, was from the city of Kermanshah. He as a Kermanshahi young boy with feelings for his people and its struggle, at the age of 18, started his struggle for his people’s freedom and self-determination by joining the ranks of Kurdistan Democratic Party and during his 23 years activism as a Peshmerga and an esteemed member, passed the majority of the stages and during the Party’s 17th congress, he was elected as member of Central Committee.
Mr. Mousa Babakhani served within the Democratic Party of Kurdistan organizations such as, Protection, Organization and Media and worked tirelessly to spread the party politics, recruit and organize people around the Kurdistan Democratic Party’s goals, especially in Kermanshah region. It was this activities and effective work which made him a target for the security and terror apparatus of the Islamic Republic so they finally succeeded in luring him to their trap.
Mr. Mousa Babakhani, who had not even turned 40, was one of the young leaders within Kurdistan Democratic Party who with high political awareness and exceptional sense of responsibility, was active in the bastions of media, communication, and organization, especially in Kermanshah region and southern parts of Kurdistan. The massive media work and the work on the ground done by this well-known party cadre, who was expected to get a bright future within the party and his nation, had made him a valuable target for the security apparatus of the regime. Therefore, they made a meticulous plan, lured him, and assassinated him.
Undoubtedly, loosing a cadre like Mousa Babakhani is a big loss for Kurdistan Democratic Party, but even in the past and within the framework of Islamic Republic’s policy of damaging the political movement of East Kurdistan, our party has been the prime target. The bomb on Yalda night in 2016 against the KDP-Iran’s headquarter, the assassination of commander Ghader Ghaderi in March 2018, which the Erbil’s District court’s second branch announced its verdict regarding that assassination recently, the missile attack against the Democrat fortress in September 2019, the assassination and execution of many KDP-Iran’s members inside the country are some examples of the continuation of Islamic Republic’s policies and terror acts against Kurdistan Democratic Party.
Islamic Republic has increased its terrorist activities in Kurdistan Region, Europe, the USA and inside the country in a situation in which it is facing governance crisis and increasing protests in the country. Hence it lacks the ability to deal with different political, economic, and social challenges and it cannot fulfill the legitimate demands of Kurdistan and Iranian people. Being afraid of new mass protests, it considers oppression, terror and intimidation as means of controlling the situation and prolonging its existence, a policy which has been going on since the establishment of the Islamic Republic.
Regarding the assassination of Mr. Mousa Babakhani, Kurdistan Democratic Party highly appreciates the concerning KRG authorities’ presence and investigations and expects that while revealing the hands behind this terror act, it apprehends the perpetrators and hands them over to the judiciary system to administer justice. This is also a just demand that the responsibility of safeguarding the lives and security of the Kurdish dissidents from East Kurdistan is the Kurdistan Regional Government’s responsibility. At the same time, considering the new wave of terror acts committed by Islamic Republic, it is necessary that all political parties and organizations from East Kurdistan to make comprehensive plans to thwart the Islamic Republic’s conspiracies.
Kurdistan Democratic Party would like to extend its heartfelt condolences to Mr. Mousa Babakhani’s family, his comrades, and the Kurdish people, especially people of Kermanshah region and southern parts of Kurdistan. May the soul of the newest victim of Islamic Republic’s terrorism rest in peace and may his struggle continue until freedom and realization of his goals.
Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP-Iran)
Central Committee
August 8, 2021