Peshmerga official reveals conditions for joint military operations with Iraqi army in disputed areas

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – An official from the Kurdistan Region’s Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs says the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the Iraqi government have not yet reached an agreement over the return of Peshmerga forces to disputed territories.

Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Peshmerga Ministry, Major General Qaraman Sheikh Kamal, told Kurdistan 24 on Tuesday that the Ministry of Peshmerga and the Iraqi Defense Ministry have not yet signed an agreement for the return of Kurdish forces to the areas outside of the KRG’s administration.

“So far, there is no official request from the Iraqi side to the Peshmerga Ministry for the Kurdish forces to return to disputed areas,” Brigadier General Kamal stated, adding that “there is no agreement between the Peshmerga forces and the Iraqi army yet.”

The Kurdish official said the Peshmerga Ministry has conditions regarding its support for Iraqi forces in restoring stability and security in the disputed areas.

Peshmerga forces will be ready to contribute to the restoration of stability in those areas when there is a joint presence of Peshmerga and Iraqi forces, a formation of a joint operations room, and joint check-points, he noted.

In a meeting on Monday, the Peshmerga forces and the US-led anti-Islamic State (IS) Coalition called for a new security plan for Kurdistani areas lying outside the Kurdistan Region’s administration in the territories disputed between Erbil and Baghdad.

Peshmerga officials and Coalition representatives assessed the security situation in the contested territories, a statement from the Peshmerga Ministry said, noting that “both sides agreed on the need for an immediate review of security and military plans in the disputed areas.”

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany