President Barzani, new German envoy to Iraq stress maintaining efforts to combat ISIS threats

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani and the newly inaugurated German envoy to Iraq on Monday stressed the continued need to combat ISIS threats, as the terror group still poses risks to stability and security.

President Barzani received Ambassador Christiane Hohmann and her accompanying delegation, including military officials, in Erbil, where they discussed a number of topics, including the European country’s relations with Iraq and its semi-autonomous Kurdish region as well as ISIS threats, according to a statement from the Kurdish presidency.  

Although Iraq's security situation has improved, the terror group still “poses risks to the stability and security. Hence, combatting threats from the terror group has to be continued," they agreed.  

Ambassador Hohmann on Oct. 3 presented her credentials to Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid in Baghdad, where she was officially inaugurated in her new position, replacing her predecessor Martin Jäger, who is currently the European country's envoy to Ukraine. 

The Kurdish official extended his gratitude for Germany’s security and humanitarian support to Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.

However, ISIS was territorially announced defeated in 2017, the group still carries out hit-and-run attacks, particularly in the disputed territories between Erbil and Baghdad. 

Another aspect of the meeting centered on the issue of federalism in Iraq, according to the press release. They both reiterated the importance of implementing the political system in Iraq correctly.

“In order for stability to be maintained in Iraq, federalism should be properly implemented and established,” President Barzani said.

Speaking of Berlin’s bilateral relations with Erbil and Baghdad, both sides expressed their delight for the enhanced state of ties.

Having been a member of the US-led Coalition to Defeat ISIS, Germany has made numerous contributions to the Iraqi and Kurdistan Region’s Peshmerga forces through the transfer of arms and training.

One of the significant military contributions made by Germany to the Kurdish forces was the provision of an anti-tank missile system, known as MILAN, which had effectively enabled the Peshmerga forces to fight back against ISIS militants, the Region’s top leaders have said on several occasions.