US envoy to Iraq ‘commends’ KRG Peshmerga reforms

Members of the Peshmerga forces during a ceremony in which US forces donated military vehicles to the Kurdish forces in Erbil, Nov. 10, 2020. (Photo: Safin Hamed / AFP)
Members of the Peshmerga forces during a ceremony in which US forces donated military vehicles to the Kurdish forces in Erbil, Nov. 10, 2020. (Photo: Safin Hamed / AFP)

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The US Ambassador to Iraq, Matthew Tueller, on Monday praised reforms the Kurdistan Region’s government has undertaken, particularly in its Peshmerga ministry, according to a statement from Prime Minister Masrour Barzani’s office.

The remarks from the US envoy came during his meeting with Barzani in Erbil, where the two discussed Iraq’s recently approved budget, US-Kurdistan Region relations, and the Iraq-US Strategic Dialogue as well as the reform program of the regional government, according to the meeting’s readout.

The US ambassador “commended the reforms [undertaken] by the Kurdistan Regional Government,” particularly the reforms in the ministry of Peshmerga, the statement said.

The Peshmerga ministry’s reforms include the unification of a number of its units that are not under the command of the official military institution as well as training for the forces.

The American envoy said that his country is continuing to support the Iraqi security forces and Peshmerga “within the framework of the international coalition” to combat the so-called Islamic State.

The premier reiterated the KRG’s commitment to its obligations under the recently approved federal budget law and asked the Iraqi government to do so, the statement noted.

Recently, the KRG prime minister said that “Iraq still faces serious terror threats, including from ISIS, and that the country still needs coalition support.”

Editing by Joanne Stocker-Kelly

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