Council of Ministers: large parts of Kurdistan retaken

Erbil, Kurdistan Region (K24) - The Kurdistan Regional Government's Council of Ministers, in a statement published on its official website, congratulated Peshmerga and the families of martyrs on the New Year on Thursday.

The Council of Ministers expressed its gratitude to many countries and allies for supporting Peshmerga and the Kurdish nation in the fight against IS insurgents, restoring stability to Kurdistan Region, and retaking a large part of Kurdistan from IS insurgents.

The council emphasized that the martyrs are the symbol of freedom and endurance of Kurdistan, and their memory will always remain.  

The statement continued that 2015 was a painful year for the Kurdish nation due to the Islamic State (IS) attacks that resulted in the martyrdom of many, the continual economic crises imposed by the central government in Baghdad, and political misunderstanding among the political parties.

The statement added, "But at the same time, 2015 was a year of several remarkable victories in the battlefield and is the year of freeing a large part of occupied lands by Peshmerga heroes from IS terrorists."

The Council of Ministers expressed its hope for overcoming all the crises and difficulties in 2016 and making it a year of defeating terrorism.

The council also promised the residents of the Kurdistan Region that the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) continues its efforts in resolving all problems and that the populations' rights will be maintained.

Concluding, the statement expressed respect and gratitude for the Kurdish nations' resistance in the face of such difficult conditions and ensured people they will survive this phase as they have done so in the past.