The German parliament (Bundestag) decided on Friday to extend its military mandate in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, continuing to train and advise armed forces in the country in its quest to ensure the lasting defeat of the Islamic State (ISIS).
Barzani “thanked the Bundestag, the government, and the people of Germany for extending the troop deployment of their forces in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region. The President also expressed the Kurdistan Region’s appreciation for Germany’s military and humanitarian support during the war against ISIS,” a statement from his office read.
According to the new extension, the German army will remain in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq until October 31, 2023, with Berlin keeping its status as an essential member of the US-led global coalition against ISIS.
“ISIS continues to be a serious danger to peace and stability in Iraq, Syria, and the wider region threatening the security of Europe,” Barzani stressed, praising the cooperation between the Kurdish Peshmerga forces and the Iraqi army against the terror group.
ISIS swept through large parts of Iraq in 2014, seizing vast swathes of land and committing countless atrocities, including genocide. The group was territorially defeated in 2017 but it continues to pose serious security risks in the country through hit-and-run attacks, bombings, and abductions, particularly in the disputed areas between Erbil and Baghdad which stretch across several provinces including Kirkuk, Salahaddin, and Diyala.
