Kurdistan warned Europe about IS attacks 2 years ago

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – Kurdish officials warned the European Union (EU) about possible Islamic State (IS) attacks on the European capitals two years ago, said a Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) official on Monday.

On Nov. 4, 2014, Chancellor of the Kurdistan Region Security Council (KRSC), Masrour Barzani, gave a speech at the EU Parliament and called for more support for the Kurdistan Region in the fight against extremists.

“The Kurdistan Region is proud to defend freedom and our young democratic experience, but the EU should work hand in hand with the Region to identify an immediate strategy to defeating this terrorist threat, so that you do not face them here in your capitals [of the EU member states],” Barzani said.

In an interview with Kurdistan24, Dellawar Ajgeiy, the Kurdistan Regional Government's (KRG) representative in the European Union capital, said, “When Masrour Barzani visited Brussels [November 2014], he gave a speech at the EU parliament and stated that European capitals are under the threat of IS. Kurdish officials have also discussed this matter with the EU officials several times.”

“Kurds have informed the EU officials that IS does not only pose a threat to the Region, but it’s a threat to Europe and to the free world; therefore, it is important for the world to support the Kurdistan Region in its fight against terrorism,” Ajgeiy added.

He revealed that the EU realizes that the threat is imminent, and it should be eradicated from its main sources which are located in Mosul in Iraq and Raqqa in Syria.

On Tuesday, three suicide attacks hit the capital of Belgium, Brussels. The first and second explosions occurred at the Zaventem airport where, according to the Belgian Ministry of Health, 31 people were killed and over 200 thought to be wounded. The third explosion took place at Maelbeek metro station killing at least 20 and injuring 100 others.

Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani, the KRG and world leaders strongly condemned the terrorist attacks.

According to Ajgeiy, the explosions were planned a long time ago and have been conducted in a very systematic way. “The attacks were not very much related to detaining IS sleeper cells in Belgium a few days ago, but might have just sped up the attacks,” he said.

The following is Barzani's full speech in the EU Parliament on Nov. 4, 2014 (Video by Kurdistan TV):

Reporting by Baxtiyar Goran and Mewan Dolamari
Editing by Ava Homa and Karzan Sulaivany