IRNA -- President of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region Nechirvan Barzani in a message on Monday expressed condolences to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei over martyrdom of Lieutenant General Qasem Soleimani.

The message reads that the loss of Lieutenant General Soleimani is a source of regret and concern for the people and government of the Kurdish region, he said.

"He was a friend of ours in the fight against dictatorship and supporter of us against Daesh terrorists," Barzani said, noting that all the Iraqi and KRG officials have on several occasions thanked for his sacrifices.

Lieutenant General Soleimani, commander of Quds Force of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC), was assassinated in an airstrike by the United States in Baghdad on Friday along with Iraqi Popular Mobilization Units second-in-command Abu Mahdi al-Mohandis and eight others in their entourage.

US President Donald Trump had personally ordered the terrorist attack.