President Barzani discusses ISIS with top US delegation

Rudaw

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani received a senior US delegation in Erbil on Wednesday, with both sides affirming that the Islamic State (ISIS) remains a “serious threat” in Iraq and Syria, according to a statement by the Office of the President. 

The delegation, led by Dana Stroul, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East, included a number of US diplomats and officials.

“During the meeting, Ms. Stroul reaffirmed the US commitment to continue supporting Iraq and the Kurdistan Region politically and militarily and also to continue expanding mutual cooperation and partnership between the two countries. Ms. Stroul expressed the United States’ appreciation for the role and sacrifices of the Peshmarga in the war against ISIS,” read a statement by the Office of the President.

“The meeting affirmed that ISIS movements and attacks across Iraq and Syria are serious threats, reaffirming the importance of cooperation and coordination between the Peshmarga and the Iraqi army, with the support from the international coalition, to confront terrorism and to eliminate ISIS, which poses threats to peace and stability in Iraq and the wider region,” it added. 

ISIS seized control of swathes of Iraqi and Syrian land in 2014. The group was declared territorially defeated in 2017 and 2019 respectively but it continues to carry out bombings, hit-and-run attacks, and abductions across several provinces.

In its propaganda magazine on Thursday, ISIS claimed to have conducted 28 attacks in Iraq from April 14 to April 20, killing and injuring 51 people.

The group has carried out a number of attacks against Iraqi forces. On Saturday, the second phase of a broad military operation was launched by the latter in the country's western provinces.