VIDEO: ‘US will do more to assist Peshmerga’

WASHINGTON DC, United States (Kurdistan24) – A former US Ambassador to Iraq revealed the United States would provide more support to the Kurdish forces battling the Islamic State (IS).

Zalmay Khalilzad, the former US Ambassador to Iraq, spoke to Kurdistan24 about Washington’s continued role in aiding Peshmerga forces in their fight with IS.

Khalilzad revealed that a former US army general led a group to the Kurdistan Region where they provided medicine to the Kurdish forces.

The former US Ambassador explained the medicine was meant to stop the bleeding of a wounded soldier and ensure they were transported to the hospital in time.

Khalilzad said the new medication was delivered in large amounts to the Peshmerga front lines near Mosul where the Kurdish forces are battling IS.

“This [is] a positive step,” Khalilzad continued.

“A lot more can be done, we are committed to doing what we can to do more to assist in this regard,” he concluded.

In 2014, IS emerged in Iraq and began controlling large swaths of territory in the country. Since then, the insurgents have lost control and continue to retreat.

Peshmerga and Iraqi forces launched an offensive on Oct. 17 to liberate the city of Mosul, IS’ last stronghold in Iraq, from the insurgents.

Since the beginning of the operation, the Kurdish and Iraqi units backed by US-led coalition airstrikes have captured several villages from IS.

The Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region Nechirvan Barzani recently stated that if the forces continue their advance in Mosul the city could be freed within three months.

(Abbas Zangana conducted the interview in Washington, DC)