Peshmerga Ministry rejects reports of redeployment to disputed territories

There have been no official meetings between Erbil and Baghdad regarding the redeployment of Kurdish Peshmerga forces to the disputed territories, a Peshmerga official said on Thursday.

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – There have been no official meetings between Erbil and Baghdad regarding the redeployment of Kurdish Peshmerga forces to the disputed territories, a Peshmerga official said on Thursday.

Jabbar Yawar, the Secretary-General of the Peshmerga Ministry, denied reports that a decision had been made between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the Federal Government of Iraq to jointly secure disputed territories by deploying the Peshmerga alongside Iraqi forces. He clarified there had been no official meeting on the matter between the two governments.

Yawar accused the media of false reporting.

“Some media claimed that Peshmerga forces would be deployed this week or the next to disputed territories. These reports are baseless,” Yawar said during a press conference in Erbil.

Local Kurdish media recently reported that the US was pressuring Baghdad to allow Peshmerga forces to be redeployed to the oil-rich and ethnically diverse province of Kirkuk as the security situation had considerably deteriorated since Iraqi forces and pro-Iran Shia militias took control of the area last October.

Peshmerga forces secured Kirkuk and other disputed territories in 2014 after the Iraqi army collapsed and failed to defend the area following the rise of the Islamic State (IS).

Peshmerga withdrew from Kirkuk and disputed regions on Oct. 16 as Iraqi forces and Hashd al-Shaabi militias launched a large-scale attack to take over the area. Since then, security has deteriorated and IS activities have increased in those territories. 

Yawar denied rumors claiming the US was mediating talks between Erbil and Baghdad to push the Federal Government of Iraq to allow Peshmerga to be redeployed to the area. 

“The US-led coalition is in Iraq to train, advice and assist as well as provide air support to Iraq forces, including Peshmerga.”

The Peshmerga have been one of the most effective ground troops against IS over the past few years. Over 1,800 Peshmerga have fallen while fighting the extremist group, and 12,000 more were wounded.

Iraqi and foreign officials have repeatedly emphasized that Mosul, the self-proclaimed capital of IS, would not have been liberated without the support of the Peshmerga.

Editing by Nadia Riva