Civilians in disputed territories hail Kurdish Peshmerga as ‘saviors’ 

“Daesh (ISIS) attacks will be stopped only when Peshmerga forces are around.”

Peshmerga members take part in a graduation ceremony at Zakho's military academy, January 30, 2018. (Photo: Safin Hamed/AFP)
Peshmerga members take part in a graduation ceremony at Zakho's military academy, January 30, 2018. (Photo: Safin Hamed/AFP)

In response to deadly ISIS hit-and-run attacks on the disputed territories claimed by Erbil and Baghdad, the Kurdistan Region’s Peshmerga forces and the Iraqi Army launched a series of joint operations in these territories. 

Civilians there feel safer when they see the Peshmerga forces. 

“We depend on God and then on Peshmerga forces to protect us from those devils,” Abdulwahid Abdulrehman, a dweller in the Sargaran subdistrict of Kirkuk province, told Kurdistan 24. “They came on Monday (Feb. 7) and searched for terrorists. When the Peshmerga is here, we feel good and safe.” 

The Peshmerga and the Iraqi Army launched a joint operation in the Sargaran subdistrict of the disputed Kirkuk province against ISIS militants on Monday, a Kurdish commander told Kurdistan 24. 

The operation began in early Monday. It covered an area of nearly 300 square kilometers to “inspect and search for ISIS terrorists,” General Sirwan Barzani, the head of the Peshmerga’ Sector 6 of Mahkmour-Gwer, told Kurdistan 24. 

Previously, a joint brigade of Iraqi and Kurdish Peshmerga entered Lheban village after the village and surrounding areas had endured repeated ISIS attacks. 

“I hope that these operations continue, not only for one week or two,” said Shorish Ismael, a Kurdish civilian from Kirkuk. “Daesh (ISIS) attacks will be stopped only when Peshmerga forces are around. For us, the Peshmerga are our saviors.” 

The US assassinated ISIS leader Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Quraishi in Syria’s northwestern province of Idlib on Feb. 3.  

The Iraqi Army and Peshmerga began cooperating against the group in November after it had launched a series of nighttime attacks that killed over 20 of the Kurdish forces and civilians. 

In recent months, Kurdish and Iraqi military authorities have held several meetings in Erbil and Baghdad to discuss joint operations against the group. 

Sirwan Barzani received Col. Douglas, Security Corporation - Iraq US Army, and Col. Kim, Defence Attaché - US Marine Corps, on Wednesday to discuss the latest security developments. 

“We discussed the latest developments. They expressed their satisfaction for the latest joint operations by Peshmerga and Iraqi Army against ISIS,” Barzani said.

Read More: US satisfied with joint Iraqi-Peshmerga operations: Peshmerga Commander

Civilians such as Ismael and Abdulrehman are happy that the Peshmerga are back in the region.

“We are all finished if Peshmerga is not here,“ Ismael said.