‘The US appreciates the sacrifices of the Peshmerga’: Ambassador Tueller

ERBIL (Kurdistan Region) – The United States Ambassador to Iraq Matthew Tueller expressed his appreciation for the sacrifices made by the Kurdish Peshmerga to protect the region during his meeting with Kurdistan Region Peshmerga Minister Shorish Ismail on Monday. 

The Kurdistan Region Peshmerga Ministry’s page on Facebook announced that Ambassador Tueller visited the Peshmerga Ministry with a military and diplomatic delegation and met with Minister Ismail. 

“The United States appreciates the sacrifices of the Peshmerga forces,” Ambassador Tueller told Ismail. “The Peshmerga role further protects the security and safety of the region.” 

Ambassador Tueller also offered his condolences to the families of Peshmerga killed in the recent ISIS attacks.

“Your heroic Peshmerga have made a lot of sacrifices,” he said.

He also said the United States is “honored” to “continue supporting and helping Peshmerga forces and the Iraqi army” in their fight against ISIS. 

Read More: Coalition says it will continue to assist Peshmerga and Iraqi partners

Ambassador Tueller thanked Ismail for updating him on the latest steps in the Peshmerga reform process and said that US support for these reforms will continue. 

“A stronger Peshmerga Ministry means the security and stability of the region are more protected,” he said. 

For his part, Ismail also thanked the United States for its support of the Kurdish force. 

“Despite the bad economic and financial situation in the Kurdistan Region, and the pandemic, Peshmerga forces have always been ready to protect the peace and stability of the region,” Ismail told Ambassador Tueller. “We appreciate the cooperation and the support of the US forces to the Peshmerga.” 

“Obviously, ISIS has been very active recently and started to conduct terrorist attacks,” he added. “And this means that the assistance and support to the Peshmerga need to be maximized because ISIS is still a serious threat.” 

The Peshmerga minister also noted that there is presently more trust between the Peshmerga and the Iraqi Security Forces. 

“The talks between the two sides are continuing, and we hope we can reach a final agreement soon,” he said. 

Following recent ISIS attacks targeting the ISF and Peshmerga, the two forces began to coordinate and established joint brigades to combat the common ISIS threat in the disputed territories. 

Read More: Peshmerga, Iraqi army to talk joint brigades, anti-ISIS operations in disputed Makhmour