Politics

KRG condemns Iraqi politician for 'insulting' Kurdish Peshmerga

A senior member of the National Wisdom Movement said in a televised interview that the Peshmerga forces are among "the armed factions and groups outside the framework of the Iraqi state."

Kurdistan 24 2021/08/06 21:20

Iraq Peshmerga

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Kurdistan Region Ministry of Peshmerga on Sunday condemned an Iraqi politician for "insulting" members of the region's military forces in an interview on local TV.

Rahim Aboudi, a senior member of the National Wisdom Movement, said the Peshmerga forces are among "the armed factions and groups outside the framework of the Iraqi state," a designation normally reserved for largely Iran-aligned Shia militias attacking US targets in Iraq.

"With his chauvinistic statements, this person proves he is one of the people who do not want Iraq to see peace," a Ministry of Peshmerga statement read. "We strongly condemn those comments."

"The Peshmerga forces operate based on the laws and constitution of Iraq as part of its defense apparatus and will continue to do so," the ministry added, describing the Kurdish units as crucial to keeping regions where they are active secure.

"These and similar remarks do not serve the Iraqi nation in any way and do not preserve unity."

The Peshmerga Ministry noted that it considers "pursuing legal measures" against Aboudi as its duty.