Politics

Peshmerga will withdraw back to areas before IS' emergence: US Ambassador

After the end of the Islamic State (IS) in Mosul, Peshmerga forces would withdraw to areas they were before the emergence of the insurgent group, the US Ambassador to Iraq Douglas Silliman said on Sunday.

Sangar Ali 2016/11/14 08:09

kurdistan Mosul Iraq Peshmerga ISIS ISIL

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – After the end of the Islamic State (IS) in Mosul, Peshmerga forces would withdraw to areas they were before the emergence of the insurgent group, the US Ambassador to Iraq Douglas Silliman said on Sunday.

In a press conference held in Erbil, Silliman praised the role of the Peshmerga forces in the fight against the extremist group.

“We have been very impressed by the performance of the Peshmerga in the battle of liberating Mosul in Nineveh [Province] from Da’esh,” he said, using the Arabic term for IS.

He mentioned the US and the Coalition countries against IS would continue providing support to the Peshmerga forces.

Moreover, Silliman expressed his condolences to the families of Peshmerga soldiers who lost their life in the operation, wishing a speedy recovery to the wounded troops.

“We have been very pleased to see the cooperation between the Peshmerga and the Iraqi army,” he continued.

“I spent two years in Iraq earlier, and I could’ve never imagined this kind of cooperation between the Peshmerga and the Iraqi military,” the Ambassador added.

Responding to reporters’ questions, Silliman said the US was confident after the end of IS in Mosul Peshmerga forces would withdraw to areas they were before the emergence of the extremist group.

The US Ambassador’s comments come at a time where Kurdish officials and Peshmerga commanders, including the President of the Kurdistan Region Masoud Barzani, repeatedly stated their forces would not back off.

The Kurdish leadership believes the liberated areas were part of the Kurdistan Region before, and Peshmerga has made sacrifices to free them from IS.

Silliman’s press conference followed his meetings with both President Barzani and Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani in the capital of the Region.

Peshmerga has been labeled as one of the most efficient ground troops in the fight against IS. Since June 2014, the Kurdish forces have liberated large swaths of territory from the group.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany