ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - General Kenneth F. McKenzie on Friday handed over the leadership of the US Central Command (CENTCOM) to General Michael "Erik" Kurilla who has previously labeled Iran as “the number one destabilizing factor in the Middle East right now,” at a time when indirect talks between Iran and the US to restore the 2015 nuclear deal have reached their final stage.
Kurilla took over the position of CENTCOM Commander during a ceremony in Tampa, Florida. He was nominated by US President Joe Biden in January, and was confirmed to the position a month later, during a hearing at a Senate Armed Service Committee.
The CENTCOM commander oversees US military missions in the Middle East, central, and southern Asia. The main theatres Kurilla is expected to be dealing with are Afghanistan, Yemen, and the continuous efforts against Islamic State (ISIS) in Iraq and Syria.
During the hearing in early February, Kurilla asserted his stance against allowing Iranian influence to expand across the region, and stressed upon the need to prevent them from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
He added that he will work towards exposing Iranian hostilities and holding them accountable for attacks carried out by regional Iranian proxies, likely referring to attacks against US bases in Iraq and Houthi attacks targeting Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Kurilla also stated that the US should assist the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the repatriation of foreign ISIS-linked detainees currently held in camps in northeastern Syria, adding that his main concern is the indoctrination taking place at al-Hol camp.
When asked about the importance of the partnership with the Kurds, Kurilla stated that the Kurds are “an incredibly capable reliable partner.”
Although declared territorially defeated in Iraq in December 2017 and in Syria in March 2019, ISIS has continued to launch attacks, including kidnappings, assassinations, and ambushes, particularly in areas disputed by the governments of the Kurdistan Region and Iraq.
The US-led Coalition has handed over control of seven military bases to the Iraq Security Forces (ISF) this year.
