Ministry of Peshmerga bids farewell to head of US Security Cooperation Office

“Colonel Douglas played an important role in cooperating with the Peshmerga and improving their capabilities.”

Wladimir van Wilgenburg 2022/06/07 16:33

Peshmerga Minister Shorish Ismail bids farewell to Colonel Patrick Douglas (Photo: Ministry of Peshmerga)

Kurdistan CTEF MNAG Shorish Ismail Patrick Douglas US Security Cooperation Office Ministry of Peshmerga

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Minister of Peshmerga Shorish Ismail and his deputy minister Sarbast Lazgin bid farewell to the head of the US Security Cooperation Office team Colonel Patrick Douglas on Monday.

#Peshmarga minister & deputy minister showing appreciation to colonel Douglas ( head of the US security cooperation office in the Region) in the his last days in the region for all the cooperation & support he had for #Peshmerga.#StrongerTogether #Kurdistan pic.twitter.com/KraeT7BI81
— Ministry of Peshmerga (@KRG_MOPE) June 6, 2022

During the meeting, Peshmerga Minister Ismail said that he was sad to say “goodbye to a hardworking and loyal friend of the ministry and the Peshmerga forces.”

“Colonel Douglas played an important role in cooperating with the Peshmerga and improving their capabilities,” he said, according to a Ministry of Peshmerga statement.

In the meeting, Colonel Douglas expressed his pleasure to have worked with the Ministry of Peshmerga on military reform.

Colonel Douglas this year had several discussions and meetings with the Ministry of Peshmerga on a training program for the Peshmerga, Peshmerga reform, and the fight against ISIS.

At the end of the meeting, the Minister of Peshmerga thanked and praised Colonel Douglas on behalf of the Peshmerga forces and wished him success in his future assignment.

Germany, the Netherlands, the US, and the UK are part of the Multi-National Military Advisory Group (MNAG) that aims to unite the Peshmerga forces.

Moreover, the Ministry of Peshmerga regularly receives assistance and advice from the US-led coalition against ISIS.

The assistance usually comes in the form of ammunition and vehicles provided through the US Department of Defense (DoD)-funded Counter-ISIS Train and Equip Fund (CTEF) program.