Kurdistan PM condemns 'terrorist attack' in disputed Khanaqin
Read More: Deadly attack in Khanaqin village leaves 7 dead; ISIS suspected
The incident occurred late Saturday when a group of suspected Islamic State assailants attacked the villages of Dara and Mekhas, which neighbor each other, killing six members of the Kakai minority group in the areas, as well as one Iraqi security forces officer.
"I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families of the martyred and I wish the wounded a speedy recovery," Barzani said in a statement.
"I am deeply concerned about instability in these areas and I reiterate the importance of finding a fully functioning security mechanism between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the Federal Government in Baghdad," the Prime Minister added.
Barzani also stressed "the importance of the presence of Peshmerga forces in those areas for the protection of civilians and restoring stability, in cooperation and coordination with the Iraqi army.”
Earlier on Sunday, the Kurdistan Region's Ministry of Peshmerga also condemned the attack, calling also on the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) in those areas to protect the lives and property of locals.
Kakais follow Yarsanism, a religion founded in the late 14th century in what is now western Iran and now live primarily in Iran, Iraq, and Turkey. Members residing in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq's disputed territories are usually considered to be Kurdish in ethnicity.
Having suffered religious persecution from multiple directions, both historically and in recent years, members of the community have often sought to avoid attention by keeping their practices secret.
They are among the many minorities in Iraq that were systematically targeted by the Islamic State but without garnering the same level of news coverage and general awareness as with other more well-known groups. A significant number of Kakai families evacuated their villages following the terrorist group's rise to prominence in 2014.
