Senior Peshmerga delegation to visit US

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (K24) – A senior military delegation headed by the acting Minister of Peshmerga will travel to the United States soon to discuss further military assistance for Peshmerga forces, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Peshmerga stated on Sunday.

In a press conference in Erbil, Jabar Yawar announced that a senior military delegation will visit with US Army officials on March 11. 

According to his statement, the delegation will comprise of the acting Minister of Peshmerga Karim Sinjari, alongside other senior Peshmerga generals. “In this visit, the senior delegation of the Peshmerga Ministry will meet with the US military authorities and officially ask for military aid to Peshmerga forces,” he revealed.

“During this visit, the senior delegation...will meet with US military officials and ask for [additional] military assistance to Peshmerga forces.”

The Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) request for additional military aid is largely due to the Iraqi Federal Government slashing the Region’s budget since mid-2014 while also refusing to offer military aid to Peshmerga forces.

On Thursday, Rezan Hama Salih, KRG Representative to the Republic of Italy, highlighted Peshmerga's effectiveness in controlling over 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) of front lines from Islamic State (IS) during the Arab Geopolitics in Turmoil: Perceptions, Unknowns, and Policies Conference organized by the NATO Defense College Foundation.

Voicing appreciation for the  US-led coalition against IS, Salih briefed the attendees on the situation in Kurdistan Region and Iraq and elucidated on the challenges facing Peshmerga forces.

Reporting by Ehsan Mamakani

Editing Benjamin Kweskin and Karzan Sulaivany