Coalition committed to Kurdish Peshmerga forces: official
“We have a common enemy, our common mission is to defeat ISIS, and there is no doubt in my mind that as we move forward into the future, we will be successful in that mission together.”
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – US Col. Todd Burroughs, Deputy Director of the US-led coalition’s Military Advisor Group North, said the United States remains committed to supporting the Kurdish Region's Peshmerga forces on Wednesday.
He was speaking at a press conference following the distribution ceremony of 150 military vehicles to the Peshmerga
“It’s a great day to be a Peshmerga, and it’s a great day to be a member of the Coalition and to have the privilege to work with the Peshmerga,” Col. Burroughs said in brief remarks.
“We have a common enemy, our common mission is to defeat ISIS, and there is no doubt in my mind that as we move forward into the future, we will be successful in that mission together,” he added. “The Coalition is committed to the Peshmerga and committed to the mission to defeat ISIS.”
It was an honor to witness the distribution of over 150 vehicles from the @KRG_MOPE M4 Warehouse to the Regional Guard Brigades today. These assets will enhance the #Peshmerga capability to #DefeatDaesh. @CJTFOIR is committed to our partners! #AdviseandAssist #StrongerTogether pic.twitter.com/4oLG8M6B7s
— Deputy Director MAG-North Colonel Todd Burroughs (@DepDirMAGN) September 8, 2021
“I hope this divestment and this subsequent distribution of mobility and counter mobility assets will prove to be fruitful in the months and years to come,” he concluded. “I am confident that the Peshmerga working with the M4 warehouse and working with the Coalition together will make that a reality and defeat ISIS.”
In a previous interview in July, when the US supplied 70 vehicles to the Peshmerga, Col. Burroughs also emphasized that the coalition is committed to advising and supporting the Peshmerga going forward.
Read More: Kurdistan Peshmerga forces receive roughly 70 vehicles from US-led Coalition
Since 2015, he said, the coalition has divested over $6 billion worth of military equipment to both the Iraqi military and the Kurdish Peshmerga. He also reiterated that the coalition is “committed to defeating Daesh (ISIS) in that mission.”
The coalition coordination with the Peshmerga is run through the Kurdistan Coordination Cell, he added.
“The Peshmerga have the will to defeat Daesh, and we hope to enhance their capabilities, to advise them in our support,” he said.
