Masrour Barzani, UK military delegation discuss Peshmerga support, reform

Reform and support for Kurdish Peshmerga forces led discussions between the Kurdistan Region’s top security chief and a high-level British military delegation on Thursday.

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Reform and support for Kurdish Peshmerga forces led discussions between the Kurdistan Region’s top security chief and a high-level British military delegation on Thursday.

Kurdistan Region Security Council (KRSC) Chancellor Masrour Barzani received a United Kingdom delegation led by the UK’s Defense Senior Advisor on the Middle East, Lieutenant General Sir John Lorimer.

“In their lengthy meeting, both reviewed important reform progress for Peshmerga forces and UK’s continued support in that regard,” a statement the KRSC published on its website read.

Both sides highlighted the need for joint security mechanisms between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the central government in Baghdad for Peshmerga and Iraqi security forces in the disputed territories. 

“Chancellor Barzani and Sir Lorimer agreed that despite the territorial defeat of [the Islamic State], the terrorist group remains a threat.”

Barzani regularly meets with foreign commanders and military advisors to discuss security developments in the region, as well as continued support for the Peshmerga.

In January, he met with US Brigadier General Austin Renforth of the Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve. In their meeting, the two reviewed improvements and further training for the Kurdish forces.

Related Article: Masrour Barzani, Coalition Commander discuss further support for Peshmerga

Kurdistan 24 spoke with Renforth in December on the sidelines of a ceremony at Coalition Headquarters in Erbil International Airport where the Kurdistan Training Coordination Center (KTCC) saw a change of command.

Renforth explained that the Coalition trains the Peshmerga on “a variety of missions, mostly wide-area security missions.”

He also stressed that it is “important to have a well-trained Peshmerga Force for the security of all of this region,” emphasizing the word, “all.

The KTCC was established in 2014, as the US entered the battle against the Islamic State, mobilizing a large coalition against the terrorist organization. Since then, the KTCC has trained over 13,000 Peshmerga. 

Editing by John J. Catherine