The Kurdistan Region’s Ministry of Culture and Youth has issued a directive mandating all broadcast media to strictly adhere to national security laws and official sources when covering drone attacks and security incidents, warning that violators face legal prosecution. 

Air defenses intercepted multiple drone waves targeting Erbil on Friday night, while missile and drone strikes hit a dissident camp and an ammunition warehouse in Sulaymaniyah, causing casualties and secondary explosions. 

The KRG strongly denounced the "unjustified" strikes, urging Iran to cease all cross-border hostilities. 

KRG Ministry Urges ‘National Responsibility’ From Media 

“The Kurdistan Region requires national responsibility during this sensitive security situation,” the Ministry of Culture and Youth said in a statement on Saturday.

The ministry has mandated strict adherence to security laws for all broadcast media covering drone attacks and security incidents to “protect the security of the Region and prevent any form of disorder.” 

Strict Security News Mandates Issued; Violators Face Prosecution 

News outlets are ordered to avoid spreading inaccurate information that causes public anxiety, ensuring coverage focuses on maintaining social stability and public safety. 

Furthermore, the directive requires that all information regarding these incidents be obtained exclusively from official, approved sources. 

Violations of these protocols, or “Regulation No. (1) of 2014,” will lead to legal accountability, with the ministry promising that “necessary measures will be taken” against non-compliant media channels. 

“We are confident that everyone will rise to this national responsibility to protect the stability of our country,” the ministry added.

Months of Continuous Drone Attacks Amid Strict Media Bans 

Since February 28, the Kurdistan Region has faced an unprecedented wave of hundreds of drone and missile attacks. This continuous bombardment began following the outbreak of a wider regional war involving the United States, Israel, and Iran. 

Earlier during the spring escalations, the KRG Department of Media and Information enacted several strict media restrictions. 

Those DMI rules explicitly banned all domestic and international media from broadcasting live footage showing the direction of incoming drones or missiles, revealing precise strike locations, or filming impacted civilian and military sites.