US military official discusses training and ISIS fight with Ministry of Peshmerga
“The US coalition and the Advisory Team’s assistance and cooperation is significant to us.”
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Colonel Patrick Douglas, head of the US Security Cooperation Office team, met with the commander of the 1st support forces of the Ministry of Peshmerga on Wednesday.
According to the official Twitter account of the Ministry of Peshmerga (MOP), the purpose of Douglas’s visit “was to be closely aware of how to equip & strengthen the support forces.”
The commander of the 1st support forces received Colonel Douglas, head of the U.S. Security cooperation Office team in the region, & the purpose of the visit was to be closely aware on how to equip & strengthen the support forces. pic.twitter.com/N4ulgBwNpn
— Ministry of Peshmerga (@KRG_MOPE) April 20, 2022
Col. Todd Burroughs, Deputy Director of the US-led coalition’s Military Advisor Group North, previously told Kurdistan 24 that the “unification of both 1st and 2nd Support Forces Commands under the MoPA (Ministry of Peshmerga) is a significant step in the Peshmerga Reform process.”
Col. Douglas also met with the Ministry of Peshmerga on Monday to discuss a training program for Peshmerga, the reform process, and the fight against ISIS.
He met separately with the Minister of Peshmerga Affairs Shoresh Ismail Abdulla and Deputy Minister of Peshmerga Affairs Serbest Lazgin.
Moreover, in a Facebook post, the Ministry of Peshmerga said that in the meeting between Abdulla and Douglas, “observations regarding the efforts on countering and eliminating the remnants of terrorism and terrorists were discussed.”
“The US coalition and the Advisory Team’s assistance and cooperation is significant to us and we hope that the security and stability of the area will always be preserved by the cooperation of the Peshmerga, the Iraqi army and the Coalition forces,” Abdulla said.
During Douglas's meeting with Deputy Minister Lazgin, they discussed a long-term training program that has been prepared for two years on military equipment, repairing, and maintenance.
The Ministry of Peshmerga also said in a tweet that they “discussed a training program for Peshmerga for the next two years on military vehicles, trucks and equipment, maintenance.”
Deputy Minister Lazgin stressed that the success of the Peshmerga reform process requires cooperation and assistance from all.
Germany, the Netherlands, the US, and UK are part of the Multi-National Military Advisory Group (MNAG) that aims to unite the Peshmerga forces.
In both meetings, Colonel Douglas reiterated the continued support and cooperation of the United States to the Ministry of Peshmerga.
