3,000 people to be recruited to protect borders: Deputy Peshmerga Minister

Deputy Peshmerga Minister Sarbast Lazgin told Kurdistan 24 on Monday that 3,000 people will be recruited as border guard units.
Deputy Peshmerga Minister Sarbast Lazgin (Photo: Kurdistan 24)
Deputy Peshmerga Minister Sarbast Lazgin (Photo: Kurdistan 24)

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) - Deputy Peshmerga Minister Sarbast Lazgin told Kurdistan 24 on Monday that 3,000 people will be recruited as border guard units.

He reaffirmed that the aim of the recruitment is to protect the borders of the Kurdistan Region.

He also stressed that Iraqi forces will not be deployed to the borders of the Kurdistan Region. All the border guard units will be from the Kurdistan Region.

Read More: Iraqi PM redeploys border units after increased Iranian and Turkish attacks

The Iraqi National Security Council and the Ministry of Peshmerga have earlier agreed to set up a plan to deploy more Peshmerga forces alongside the Iraqi border guards, the Ministry of Peshmerga announced amidst increased Iranian and Turkish border attacks.

Lawk Ghafuri, the Head of Foreign Media Relations of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Council of Ministers, in an earlier tweet also underlined that the military reinforcements that going to be deployed at the borders of the Kurdistan Region are Peshmerga forces alongside the Iraqi border guards - who are also Peshmerga units within the Iraqi border guards.

So far, Iranian armed forces hit Iranian Kurdish opposition parties four times with rocket and drone attacks amidst domestic unrest and protests in Iran since the death of Mahsa (Jina) Amini in police custody on Sept. 16.

Read More: President Barzani agrees with Iraqi PM Sudani to protect Iraq's borders

Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani and Prime Minister Al-Sudani on Monday agreed and reiterated that no threat or military action will be allowed from within the borders of Iraq to foreign countries.

“No armed groups will be allowed to operate in the Kurdistan Region," the Presidency of the Kurdistan Region said in a statement.

Moreover, Erbil and Baghdad agreed to "work together to protect the security of the borders, and they will also coordinate with neighboring countries and take necessary measures."

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammad Shia’ Al-Sudani reportedly on Monday will visit Iran to discuss bilateral Iraq-Iran relations.

Read More: Iran welcomes Iraq moves on guarding border

Iran so far has welcomed the move from Iraq to move forces to guard the border.

Additional reporting by Wladimir van Wilgenburg