Security

No ‘irregular deployment’ made against Iraqi forces: Peshmerga

According to the Kurdistan Region's Peshmerga Ministry, a number of Peshmerga units in the region have been put “on alert” to thwart attacks from the so-called Islamic State.

Halgurd Sherwani 2021/02/03 15:36

Mask-clad Peshmerga fighters stand during a military event in Erbil, Nov. 10, 2020. (Photo: AFP/Safin Hamed)

Kurdistan Iraqi Forces ISIS Krg Kurdistan Region Peshmerga

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Kurdistan Region’s Ministry of Peshmerga issued a statement on Wednesday informing that there has been no “irregular deployment” of its forces against Iraqi troops in the disputed areas, adding that the recent positioning is precautionary against the so-called Islamic State’s activity.

The Peshmerga Ministry’s clarification statement came following rumors that the recent movement of Kurdish forces was detected in the Qarachokh and Makhmour area, southwest of the capital Erbil, where Islamic State militants remain active.

“No irregular deployment has been made against Iraqi forces,” the statement affirmed, clarifying that the reported deployment was only precautionary against any potential threats from the terror group in the area, of which activities have seen a surge.

“Intelligence reports emphasize that Da’esh [ISIS] intends to carry out terrorist attacks in these areas,” the statement noted, adding that a number of Peshmerga units in the region have been put “on alert” to thwart attacks from the militants.

The deployment has occurred at a time when the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and its federal counterpart are in talks over the lingering issues between them, including the Kurdistan Region’s share of the federal budget for 2021. This has raised suspicions from some that the deployment was linked to the disagreements.

The ministry has previously “warned” against the threat of Islamic State militants in these disputed areas, which has caused a security vacuum to emerge between the Peshmerga forces and Iraqi army, according to the statement.

“In this regard, we have repeatedly asked for military cooperation to destroy terrorists,” the ministry announced.

The disputed territories are a large swath of area that is claimed by both the KRG and the Federal Government of Iraq. Due to the attacks by Iranian-backed militias against Peshmerga in 2017, a security vacuum has emerged and been exploited by the Islamic State to launch its attacks on civilians as well as security forces.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany