KRI President Barzani urges Iraqi government to arm Peshmerga as defenders of Iraq
Shafaq News/ On Thursday, KurdistanRegion (KRI) President Nechirvan Barzani urged the Iraqi government to arm thePeshmerga forces as part of the country's military defense system.
President Barzani made hisstatements during the graduation ceremony for the 29th batch of Peshmergaofficers from Zakho military academy, where 792 officers graduated.
Barzani expressed joy that thisbatch included 50 female officers, among them 13 from the Yazidi community andone from the Kakai community, hoping for “an increase in the number of womenamong Peshmerga officers in the next batch.”
“The Peshmerga shattered the myth ofISIS and did not allow the extremist organization to approach Kurdistan,demonstrating a remarkable example of defense and self-sacrifice,” he added.
In this context, the Presidentexpressed his gratitude to the Global Coalition for their cooperation andsupport for the Peshmerga and Iraqi forces in the fight against ISIS,describing this support as “strategic and decisive,” and calling on the coalitionto continue coordinating and cooperating with the Peshmerga forces and theIraqi army.
“ISIS still poses aserious threat to the security and stability of Iraq and the Region,” he stated,emphasizing the importance of ongoing coordination and collaboration among thePeshmerga, the Iraqi army, and the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) toestablish security and stability in Iraq, especially in disputed areas.
The KRI President continued,"We expect the federal government to fulfill its responsibilities towardthe Peshmerga by providing weapons and necessary supplies, without fear ofdoing so, because the Peshmerga defend Iraq, Kurdistan, and all ofhumanity."
In conclusion, Barzani reiteratedKurdistan's stance on the current situation in the region, stating, “TheKurdistan Region supports stopping the war and resolving all crises andproblems peacefully, without dragging Iraq into the existing tensions.”
