Kurdistan–US cooperation in fight against terror to continue: Ambassador

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – The US envoy to Iraq on Thursday discussed the latest political and military developments in the region with President of the Kurdistan Region Masoud Barzani.

In the meeting, held in Erbil, US Ambassador to Iraq Douglas Silliman and President Barzani highlighted the need for further cooperation between the US and the Kurdistan Region in various aspects of the fight against terrorism.

"In addition to discussing the military situation and the fight against terrorists, they emphasized cooperation and support to defeat terrorists would continue,” according to the Kurdistan Region Presidency's (KRP) press office.

“Both sides agreed that eliminating Da’esh [Islamic State (IS)] in Mosul does not mean the end of terrorism in Iraq. The fight against terror requires the cooperation and support of everyone,” read the statement.

The press office did not mention whether the two officials discussed the Kurdistan Region's independence referendum scheduled for Sep. 25, 2017.

Following the emergence of the IS in the mid-2014, the US established a global coalition to combat the jihadist group with the participation of over 60 countries around the world.

The coalition provided military support to the Kurdish Peshmerga, a force that destroyed the myth of the IS according to senior Kurdish officials.

Over 1,700 Peshmerga have fallen while fighting the jihadist group, and 11,000 more were injured.

Kurdish military officials have repeatedly stated that the number of Peshmerga casualties would have been much lesser had they received adequate support and weaponry to defeat the IS.

Editing by G.H. Renaud