KDP President Barzani, Iraqi Defense Minister address combating terrorism
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) President Masoud Barzani on Saturday received Iraqi Defense Minister Thabet Muhammad al-Abbasi in the Pirmam district of Erbil, according to a statement from the Barzani Headquarters,
The two sides exchanged views on the situation in Iraq, combating terrorism, coordination, and joint work of the Iraqi and Peshmerga forces.
In the aftermath of the Kurdistan Region's independence referendum in 2017, the Iraqi forces expelled the Kurdish Peshmerga from disputed territories in Kirkuk, Makhmour, and Nineveh.
Consequently, significant security vulnerabilities emerged in these areas, which ISIS exploited.
In response, the Peshmerga and Iraqi forces have launched operations in the area to prevent an ISIS resurgence.
On Oct. 27, 2022, the House of Representatives voted for al-Abassi on the list of the Hasm Movement for Reform to hold the position of defense minister. He holds a bachelor’s degree in military science and is fluent in three languages: Arabic, English, and Turkish.
