Iraqi military, Kurdistan's Peshmerga conduct anti-terror operations in disputed areas

The operations come as part of efforts to "prevent the movement of terrorists and their exploitation of the vacuum in these areas... within the framework of coordination and joint action in combating ISIS terrorism."

Iraqi soldiers and Kurdish Peshmerga in rural Kirkuk province. (Photo: Archive)
Iraqi soldiers and Kurdish Peshmerga in rural Kirkuk province. (Photo: Archive)

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Iraqi military and the Kurdistan Region's Peshmerga forces have conducted anti-terror operations against suspected ISIS cells in areas disputed by Erbil and Baghdad.

"The Joint Coordination Centers have started implementing joint activities in the areas devoid of the presence of the federal security units, which are located between the federal forces and the Peshmerga," the Joint Operations Command announced in a statement on Friday.

The operations come as part of efforts to "prevent the movement of terrorists and their exploitation of the vacuum in these areas... within the framework of coordination and joint action in combating ISIS terrorism," it added.

"There is no change in the areas of deployment and the lines of defense between the Iraqi army and the Peshmerga," the statement explained.

Kurdistan Region officials have regularly warned that ISIS still poses a serious threat, especially in the disputed territories.

In a meeting on Thursday with the number two commander of the US-led Coalition to Defeat ISIS, Prime Minister Masrour Barzani stressed the need to activate security coordination centers between the Peshmerga and the Iraqi military.

Iraq and the KRG have recently formed a number of joint units to try to bring stability to territories disputed by Baghdad and Erbil. There are also plans to develop additional joint Peshmerga-Iraqi brigades in the contested areas.

In retaliation for the Kurdistan Region's 2017 independence referendum, Iraqi forces and Iranian-backed militias of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) pushed the Peshmerga from the areas. Since then, security for local populations has suffered from a lack of unified military strategy across large tracts of land ranging from Khanaqin in central Diyala province to Kirkuk and northward to multiple areas surrounding Mosul.