Peshmerga Ministry urges coalition, Iraq to help stop attacks and border violations

Halgurd Sherwani 2021/06/08 15:33

Peshmerga forces are pictured during a ceremony in which US-donated military equipment and vehicles were handed over to the Kurdish forces in Erbil, Nov. 10, 2020. (Photo: Safin Hamed/AFP)

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Kurdistan Region Ministry of Peshmerga on Tuesday called on the international coalition forces against ISIS and the federal government of Iraq to play a role in stopping violations against the region’s forces and along the border with Turkey.

The ministry’s statement followed a deadly morning assault on Peshmerga in the Darkar substrict of Duhok province near the Turkish border. One member of the autonomous region’s security force was killed by what authorities believe was a Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) sniper. It also comes just three days after five other Peshmerga were killed and seven injured in a suspected PKK attack in Duhok.

The ministry statement called on the coalition and Iraqi government to play a role in "stopping these violations and protecting the border areas."

The ministry also urged the international forces and Iraqi military to operate “shoulder-to-shoulder” with the Peshmerga.

Following the Saturday attack near Mount Mateen, the Kurdistan Region’s Western allies and the federal government condemned the “cowardly terrorist attack” and rejected violations of the region’s security.

“The PKK forces have to understand that such actions do not achieve any goal and only our nation pays the price,” the Peshmerga Ministry statement said, adding that the force does not allow anyone to threaten its borders.