Security

Kurdistan Peshmerga forces receive construction vehicles to improve defensive positions: coalition official

"Monday's divestment of construction vehicles will further strengthen the combat engineering capacity of @KRG_MOPE (Ministry of Peshmerga)"

Wladimir van Wilgenburg 2022/01/04 14:30

Col. Todd Burroughs, Deputy Director of the US-led coalition's Military Advisor Group North, speaking to Kurdistan 24. (Photo Kurdistan 24)

Kurdistan US-led Coalition Peshmerga CJTF-OIR CTEF

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – US Col. Jeffrey Todd Burroughs, Deputy Director Military Advisor Group North, confirmed in a tweet on Monday that the Ministry of Peshmerga has received construction vehicles through the US Department of Defense (DoD)-funded Counter-ISIS Train and Equip Fund (CTEF) program.

Monday’s divestment of construction vehicles will further strengthen the combat engineering capacity of @KRG_MOPE. This equipment will enable #Peshmerga to improve their force protection through fortified defensive positions to #DefeatDaesh. #AdviseAssistEnable #StrongerTogether pic.twitter.com/ErVFrS6VUw
— Deputy Director MAG-North Colonel Todd Burroughs (@DepDirMAGN) January 3, 2022

"Monday's divestment of construction vehicles will further strengthen the combat engineering capacity of @KRG_MOPE (Ministry of Peshmerga)," he said.

"This equipment will enable #Peshmerga to improve their force protection through fortified defensive positions to #DefeatDaesh."

"The Coalition’s commitment to #AdviseAssistEnable our partner forces is steadfast. This latest divestment enhances Peshmerga combat power by providing the equipment necessary for protection, mobility, and counter-mobility," Col. Burroughs added.

"We are committed to our partnership with the Peshmerga and we will enable the Peshmerga to secure the enduring defeat of Daesh."

The official account of the US-led coalition, Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR), also tweeted about the divestment on Tuesday.

"This is a strong demonstration of the @Coalition commitment to ensure that our ISF/Peshmerga partners are able to continue their ongoing anti-Daesh fight," it said.

"As our combat role has ended, our #AdviseAssistEnable partnership with them is steadfast. #StrongerTogether."

Since Nov. 27, ISIS militants have increased attacks and killed 23 people in the disputed territories, including Peshmerga and civilians of the Kurdistan Region.

After the Kurdistan Region's 2017 independence referendum, Iraqi forces and Iranian-backed armed groups of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) pushed the Peshmerga out of Kirkuk and other disputed territories, creating a large security vacuum that ISIS was able to use for staging hit-and-run attacks against both the Peshmerga and ISF.

As a result of the increased ISIS attacks, cooperation increased between the Peshmerga and ISF in recent weeks.

In a sign of increased cooperation, a joint brigade of the Iraqi Army and Kurdish Peshmerga was deployed to the disputed village of Lheban northwest of Kirkuk on Dec. 6 following an ISIS attack there.