President Barzani, US VP discuss Mosul operation
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – The US Vice President spoke on the phone with the Kurdistan Region President, discussing the Mosul operation and the Kurdistan Region delegation's visit to Baghdad.
According to a statement released on the White House website on Wednesday, the US VP Joseph Biden “thanked President Barzani for his leadership and continued cooperation with Prime Minister Abadi and the Iraqi government to defeat ISIL [an acronym for the Islamic State (IS)] and ensure lasting stability in Iraq,” the White House statement added.
VP Biden and President Barzani underscored the urgency of sustaining momentum for the liberation of Mosul and other IS-held territories.
“Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the ongoing strategic partnership between the United States and Iraq,” the statement read.
This is the third phone call between the Kurdistan Region President and the US Vice President in the past 40 days.
In September 28, Joseph Biden, America's VP contacted President Masoud Barzani, via the phone to ahead of the Region’s high-level delegation's visit to Baghdad.
According to a statement by the Kurdistan Region Presidency (KRP), Biden expressed the US's support for Kurdistan’s high-level, multi-party delegation that will visit Baghdad on September 29.
President Barzani and VP Bided discussed Mosul liberation in another phone call on August 31.
According to a statement by the (KRP, President Barzani and VP Biden talked about the war against the Islamic State (IS) and the preparations for the offensive to retake Mosul.
They reportedly emphasized the continuous coordination between the Kurdistan Region Peshmerga forces, the US troops, and the Iraqi forces.
The White House released a statement on the phone call between President Barzani and VP Biden, stating that “The leaders underscored the urgency of sustained progress in the fight against IS, Iraq's economic recovery, humanitarian assistance for displaced Iraqis, and cooperation to liberate Mosul.”
Editing by Ava Homa