Italy receives wounded Peshmerga fighters for medical treatment

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – Hospitals in Italy are set to receive 11 Peshmerga fighters wounded in the battle against Islamic State (IS) extremists.

The newly appointed Italian Consul General in Erbil Serena Muroni met with Falah Mustafa, Head of the Department of Foreign Relations (DFR) at the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), and expressed Italy’s approval to receive the wounded Peshmerga.

Muroni stated Italy holds good relations with the Kurdistan Region and will continue its support for the Region.

The Italian Consul General added the 11 Peshmerga fighters wounded in the fight against IS insurgents would receive proper medical treatment in Italy.

According to a statement by the DFR, Mustafa congratulated Muroni on her role as the new Italian Consul.

Mustafa also emphasized the DFR would fully support her new mission in the Kurdistan Region.

The head of the medical department at the Peshmerga Ministry Maj. Gen. Muhsin Rasheed previously told Kurdistan24 some countries had expressed their readiness to receive wounded Peshmerga for medical treatment.

Following IS’ emergence in June 2014 in northern Iraq, the Kurdistan Region Peshmerga soldiers were the only troops who stopped the group’s advance, pushing them back as the Iraqi army collapsed.

Some of the injuries suffered by the many Peshmerga soldiers are critical, and cannot be treated in the Kurdistan Region due to the lack of technologies, medical equipment, and experience.

According to the Ministry of Peshmerga figures, since June 2014, over 1,500 Peshmerga soldiers have fallen while battling the extremist group and about 10,000 more have been wounded.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany