Italy commands Coalition-backed Kurdistan Training Coordination Center

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – The command of the Kurdistan Training Coordination Center (KTCC) has been handed over from German Colonel Georg Oel to Italian Colonel Lorenzo Cucciniello.

In a statement released on Thursday, the KTCC, a multinational military organization responsible for the training of Peshmerga and Northern Iraq Security in Erbil, Atrush, Menila and Sulaymaniyah, bade farewell to Colonel Oel.

In his final address during the Transfer of Authority ceremony, he thanked all nations and instructors for their combined effort in shaping a thorough training framework. Moreover, he thanked all Peshmerga and Northern Iraq Security Forces for their exemplary dedication, spirit and motivation during each individual course. He especially stressed the friendship and camaraderie between the multinational instructors and the trainees. He was commander of the KTCC since last December.

Italian Colonel Lorenzo Cucciniello underlined in his speech that he is honored to take over the command of the KTCC. He will continue the road of excellent cooperation which has been paved by previous contributing nations, commanders and Kurdish and Iraqi efforts alike.

Over 18,000 Peshmerga soldiers have been trained by the US-led coalition forces, half of them by Italian military advisers.