Belgian Deputy PM discusses security, attacks on Peshmerga with top Kurdistan official

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sophie Wilmes called Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Monday to discuss various issues, most of them related to security in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.

She began by expressing her condolences over the death of several Kurdish Peshmerga forces in recent attacks by ISIS militants, according to a statement released by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).

On May 1, ISIS launched a violent assault against Peshmerga units in the town of Pirde (Alton Kupri), located northwest of Kirkuk city and part of the territories disputed by the federal and regional governments.

Read More: ISIS launches attack against Peshmerga forces in the vicinity of Kirkuk

The two spoke at length about recent security challenges in the Kurdistan Region, Iraq, and the greater Middle East, agreeing "to maintain close contact on issues of common interest" going forward.

Barzani then urged Wilmes to lead the European Union's efforts to provide relief to refugees and the internally displaced persons now seeking shelter in the autonomous Kurdistan Region, noting that the region's capabilities are limited.

The two sides also discussed the "progress made and challenges facing" coronavirus vaccination programs in relation to their own nations and populations.

Wilmes was Prime Minister of Belgium from 2019 to 2020 and has served as both Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs since October 2020.

Editing by John J. Catherine