PM Barzani discusses military support for Peshmerga with US-led coalition deputy commander

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani discussed the continuation of military support for the Kurdish Peshmerga in a meeting on Wednesday with a US-led coalition delegation headed by Maj. Gen. Gerald Strickland, Deputy Commander - Stability of Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR).

The two officials highlighted further efforts to eliminate the ongoing threats of the so-called Islamic State in Iraq, according to a statement from the prime minister’s press office.

Barzani provided an update on the coordinated efforts of the Kurdish Peshmerga and Iraqi security forces to eliminate the terror group and protect the people in the country.

They also emphasized the significance of the continuation of coalition support for the Peshmerga, particularly in military training, the statement added.

Prime Minister Barzani praised the coalition’s support to the Kurdistan Region and stressed that the causes which led to the emergence of the Islamic State in 2014 have yet to be tackled, noting the group’s possible resurgence remains a significant threat to security and stability in the region.

The meetings come days after Barzani met separately on Monday with both Brig. Gen. Gregory Kreuder, Chief of the Office of Security Cooperation-Iraq (OSC-I), and Maj. Gen. Eric Hill, who commands Special Operations Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve (SOJTF-OIR).

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Before his role with the CJTF-OIR, Maj. Gen. Strickland was involved in the generation of British forces during the first two years of Operation Iraqi Freedom, a bio on the coalition’s website reads.

Strickland has also been deployed to Afghanistan twice and has commanded the UK’s 4th Infantry Brigade during a period of NATO and EU commitments.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany