Kurdistan region president discusses security with U.S. military commander

ERBIL — Nechirvan Barzani, the president of the Kurdistan Region, met with General Kevin Leahy, the commander of the Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve, in Erbil on Thursday. During the meeting, the two leaders discussed the persistent security challenges in the region, particularly the threat posed by ISIS.

“The meeting emphasized that ISIS remains a serious and real threat and continues to endanger the region’s peace and stability through its attacks in Iraq and Syria,” according to a statement from the Kurdistan Region Presidency. The statement further highlighted the ongoing need for the mission of the International Coalition and the cooperative efforts between the Iraqi Army, Peshmerga forces, and coalition forces to counter terrorism and ensure the complete eradication of ISIS.

The Islamic State, which seized large territories in Iraq and Syria in 2014 and declared a caliphate, was territorially defeated in Iraq in 2017 by Iraqi forces and the Peshmerga, supported by a U.S.-led coalition. Despite losing its final stronghold in Syria in 2019, remnants of the group continue to pose a threat. Security forces carry out daily operations to eliminate the remaining terrorist cells.

Recent clashes in Diyala governorate resulted in the deaths of six security personnel, with multiple attacks also reported in Salah Al-Din and Anbar governorates. A January U.N. report estimated that 3,000 to 5,000 ISIS fighters remain active in Iraq and Syria. U.S. Central Command recently warned that ISIS is attempting to regroup, with attacks nearly doubling compared to the previous year.

The presence of the U.S.-led International Coalition forces remains a contentious issue in Iraq. Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani’s government is under significant pressure from pro-Iran armed groups to expel U.S. troops.

Coalition forces in Iraq and Syria have faced numerous attacks by drones and rocket fire, particularly as violence related to the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza since early October has escalated, drawing in Iran-backed armed groups across the Middle East.

The meeting also addressed recent steps in the process of “unifying the Peshmerga forces” and reforms within the Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs. President Barzani reiterated the Kurdistan Region’s commitment to completing the unification and reform process and removing any obstacles. He praised the support and assistance of the International Coalition in this endeavor.

The Peshmerga forces, the military of the Kurdistan Region, have long been divided along political lines, primarily between the Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan. This division resulted in two separate military forces with distinct command structures. Recent efforts supported by the International Coalition have aimed at unifying the Peshmerga under a single command structure, part of broader military and institutional reforms. However, progress has been slow.