Arrest made in assassination of Iranian Kurdish opposition leader in KRI

Shafaq News / The Asayish Institution of the Kurdistan Region (KRI) announced, on Sunday, the arrest of the suspect in the assassination of a prominent leader of the Iranian Kurdish opposition party, Komala.

According to a statement from the Asayish Institution of the Region, "Asayish forces have arrested the suspect in the killing of a member of the Iranian Kurdish revolutionary party, Komala."

A security source, who preferred anonymity, reported yesterday evening the killing of a prominent leader of an Iranian Kurdish opposition party in al-Sulaymaniya.

The source informed Shafaq News Agency that "Shuaib Zarai, a leader in the Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan, was killed this evening near the Party's camp in Zirgwez in al-Sulaymaniya."

The source indicated that the suspect who shot Zarai has been arrested in Penjwen District without providing any details about his identity.

The Party suspects that the crime was committed by an ex-member who was working for Iran.

The Party said in a statement that Zarei, a member of the Komala of Revolutionary Toilers of Iranian Kurdistan (Shorshger), was assassinated by "mercenaries" from Iran.

Many Iranian opposition parties and groups have been established in the Kurdistan Region for several decades.

According to its official website, Komala, established in the fall of 1969 by Kurdish student leaders and intellectuals, emerged as "an independent political organization in response to the monarchy's dictatorship in Iran. Like many other political groups of the time, Komala operated covertly due to the regime's intolerance of political activities."

Komala positioned itself as a response to these transformations, "actively participating in the Iranian revolution and later engaging in Kurdish resistance movements."