International support continues for Kurdish Peshmerga fight against ISIS

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — The 70-nation international anti-ISIS coalition will continue to work with Kurdish Peshmerga, through funding, training, advising, and assisting, despite disagreements between the KRG and Iraqi government.

"The battle of Mosul, the cooperation between the Iraqi Security Forces and the Peshmerga, was something that was historic, something we still want to build upon even as there’s tension between Baghdad and Erbil..." explained Brett McGurk, the US Special Presidential Envoy to the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS in a press conference on Thursday night.

Of the $1.269 billion appropriated in the Iraq Train & Equip Fund for 2018 in the US National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), $270 million in stipends and $95 million in sustainment is earmarked by its congress specifically for the Peshmerga.

"Lobbying efforts" in Washington successfully swayed Congress to remove "unfavorable language" from initial versions of the NDAA. The initial verbiage essential conditioned Peshmerga aid on being more directly integrated into the Iraqi security forces and on Iraqi bases.

In addition to the United States and key coalition member nations have promised to continue their support for Kurdish Peshmerga, including professionalization of the force that has been faulted for being politicized and lacking unity.

"We initiated it. We started it. We proposed it. And we are leading it," said UK Consul General to Erbil in an interview with Rudaw on Sunday. "We have dedicated staff who are doing that job. There here, and they're still here, they'll remain here.

"The unification and professionalization of Peshmerga is more important, and I think that has become more evident over the past few months. And we are committed to that."

The British stance echoes that of German Defense Minister Ursula van der Leyen, who contrary to her country's lawmakers, has argued to re-authorize a one-year deployment of up to 150 soldiers to train Peshmerga.

"I would welcome extending deployment early next year — and not just for three months but once again in the typical pattern of one year," Leyen told Funke Mediengruppe on Saturday, as KRG Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani was in Berlin meeting with the defense and foreign ministers, along with Chancellor Angela Merkel.

"[W]e stand with our partners in the fight against terror," added Leyen.

French President Emmanuel Macron noted the "rights of the Kurds" and "their commitment to the fight against terrorism" in a statement released on December 3 after hosting Barzani.

"The Peshmerga, alongside the Iraqi federal forces, fought with great courage and determination against Daesh for Iraq and the world," stated Macron, using another term for ISIS.

Macron expressed France's commitment to the 2005 Iraqi constitution. The constitution enshrines the autonomy of the Kurdistan Region and its Peshmerga.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and US President Donald Trump have separately declared a victory over ISIS in Iraq.

Rudaw has reported of groupings of unknown militias in the disputed areas near Tuz Khurmatu, additionally on Tuesday, Kurdish Peshmerga killed one ISIS fighter while trying to arrest a band of the militants near Makhmur.

"We estimate that there are about 1,000 Daesh terrorists remaining" in Iraq and Syria the coalition told Rudaw English on Friday.

McGurk highlighted the accelerated pressure over the past 11 months leading to the destruction of the ISIS caliphate but cautioned against this being the end of the extremist group.

"ISIS will be around for a while," he said. "...we have a long way to go."

International support continues for Kurdish Peshmerga fight against ISIS

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