KRG representative: Britain to continue supporting Kurdistan Region after IS

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – The Kurdistan Regional Government representative to the United Kingdom stated on Monday that Britain will continue its military and political support of the Kurdistan Region after the Islamic State (IS) is defeated.

Karwan Jamal Tahir, the KRG Representative to the Britain told Kurdistan24 that since the beginning of the war against the IS, Britain has been supporting the Kurdistan Region and its Peshmerga forces and this support will continue.

Tahir added that British support for the Kurdistan Region includes supporting the KRG’s Ministry of Peshmerga to further improve the ministry’s structure in terms of training and arming the fighters, as part of an agreement between the KRG and the British Defense Ministry.

Since the war against IS, Britain has provided military assistance only to the Kurdistan Region’s Peshmerga forces and not other groups within Iraq.

“We have asked British Defense and Foreign Ministries to provide the Peshmerga forces with heavy weapons,” Tahir added.

"The Iraqi government has been putting obstacles on the efforts to deliver heavy weaponry to the Peshmerga forces,” Tahir told Kurdistan24.

Regarding humanitarian aids, Tahir said that Britain understands the immense pressure on the KRG and the people of the Kurdistan Region in sheltering a large number of displaced people in the Region, adding that Britain has been providing humanitarian assistance to the Region through UN agencies.

Britain has also been supportive of establishing the Joint Crisis Coordination Centre (JCC) that now plays a crucial role in dealing with the current humanitarian crisis in the Kurdistan Region, said the KRG Representative to the UK.

Regarding the Kurdistan Region independence, Tahir said Britain understands that the relations between Erbil and Baghdad have not improved and there have always been unresolved disputes.

Tahir revealed Britain’s official position on the Kurdistan Region independence, stating that if independence is achieved through dialogue and common understanding with the Iraqi government, Britain would fully support it as it is the decision of all people of Iraq, including Kurds, Arabs and other components.

Editing by Ava Homa