German parliament extends army mission in Iraq
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The German parliament on Wednesday extended the mandate of its army for operations in Iraq.
I convey my gratitude to the government and parliament of the Federal Republic of Germany for extending the mandate of their troops in Iraq.
— Nechirvan Barzani (@IKRPresident) October 18, 2023
We still face a common threat, and together, we will ensure the lasting defeat of ISIS.
“I convey my gratitude to the government and parliament of the Federal Republic of Germany for extending the mandate of their troops in Iraq,” Nechirvan Barzani, the president of the Kurdistan Region, said in a post on the social media platform, formerly known as X.
“We still face a common threat, and together, we will ensure the lasting defeat of ISIS.”
Read More: German government decides to extend troop presence in Iraq
We welcome and express our gratitude to the Federal Republic of #Germany’s @Bundestag for the extension of their military mandate in #Iraq and #Kurdistan, as well as the brave men and women in uniform for their unwavering dedication to the noble cause of combating terrorism.
— Safeen Dizayee (@SafeenDizayee) October 18, 2023
Safeen Dizayee, the head of the Department of Foreign Relations of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), also welcomed the extension on the social media platform X.
In mid-September, the German government said that up to 500 soldiers will be deployed until Oct. 31, 2024.
However, a formal authorization requires German parliament approval, which occurred today.
Read More: Kurdistan PM thanks German government for extending army mission in Iraq
Last year, Kurdistan Region’s Prime Minister Masrour Barzani thanked Germany for its support in the fight against terrorism.
"Germany's support in 2014 helped our Peshmerga turn the tide against the terror group,” he said. “ISIS is still a serious shared threat, and I urge the Bundestag (the German parliament) to renew the mandate."
During Germany’s National Day on Oct. 5, Klaus Streicher, the German Consul General in the Kurdistan Region, underlined that “Daesh (ISIS) is still a threat to international peace and security; continued collective efforts are still required to counter and eradicate its cells.”
“We are therefore proud that German troops take part in the Operation Inherent Resolve and in the NATO Training Mission,” Streicher added.