Cooperation between ISF and Peshmerga is critical to defeat ISIS: coalition official

"Iraqi Security Forces and Peshmerga forces are critical to defeat ISIS."
Col. Todd Burroughs, Deputy Director of the US-led coalition's Military Advisor Group North, speaks to Kurdistan 24. (Photo Kurdistan 24)
Col. Todd Burroughs, Deputy Director of the US-led coalition's Military Advisor Group North, speaks to Kurdistan 24. (Photo Kurdistan 24)

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – US Col. Jeffrey Todd Burroughs, Deputy Director Military Advisor Group North, on Sunday said cooperation between the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) and Peshmerga forces is "critical" to defeat ISIS.

"Cooperation and coordination between Iraqi and Peshmerga forces is essential to secure the enduring defeat of Daesh (ISIS)," Col. Burroughs told Kurdistan 24 on Sunday.

"Both the ISF (Iraqi Security Forces) and Peshmerga are making continuous progress toward the formation of two joint brigades to operate in the disputed area," he added.

"The ISF and Peshmerga are also conducting more joint operations in the disputed area to deny any safe haven in which Daesh attempts to operate."

On Saturday, the Kurdistan Region's Ministry of Peshmerga strongly condemned the early Friday ISIS attack, which killed 11 Iraqi soldiers, including an officer, in Diyala Province.

Read More: Peshmerga condemns ISIS attack in Diyala, warns of danger of persistent security vacuum

The Kurdish ministry called for continued coordination and cooperation to eliminate terrorists, noting ISIS remains a serious threat to Iraq's security. It also stressed that working together is an "urgent necessity" in the disputed territories, where ISIS has exploited the large security gaps to launch attacks against Iraqi and Kurdish forces and civilians.

Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani condemned the ISIS attack on the Iraqi Army in a phone call with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi on Friday night. 

"I'm deeply troubled by the continued ISIS terrorist activities in the country," the prime minister said in a tweet following the call. 

Read More: PM Barzani condemns ISIS attack in Iraq in call with Iraqi PM

Despite Iraq declaring victory over the extremist group in December 2017, the fight to eradicate ISIS from the country continues.  

In northeast Syria, ISIS launched a deadly assault on a detention facility for ISIS fighters in Hasakah on Thursday. Fighting between ISIS and Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) there is ongoing. 

Read More: 22 ISIS fighters killed in fighting near Hasakah prison: SDF

Anti-ISIS operations and cooperation between the Iraqi Army and the Kurdish Peshmerga markedly increased in the disputed territories since late November, following the killing of 23 Peshmerga fighters and civilians in multiple ISIS attacks.