Joint Peshmerga-Iraqi army brigade deployed to secure ISIS stronghold

KIRKUK — A joint brigade of Peshmerga and Iraqi Army forces has been deployed to key areas between Tuz Khurmatu and Kifri in Salah Al-Din governorate, part of a strategy to combat ISIS remnants that have used these regions to launch attacks on civilians and security forces, a Peshmerga commander confirmed to 964media on Wednesday.

The joint force, composed of two brigades totaling around 3,500 soldiers, falls under the Iraqi Joint Operations Command. These brigades, formed in 2021, aim to close security gaps in disputed territories between the Kurdistan Region and Iraq, although their deployment had been delayed. The forces are now tasked with securing a 560,000-square-kilometer area that has previously been exploited by ISIS.

Hama Chawri, commander of the 731st Peshmerga Brigade, described the deployment as a crucial step in reducing ISIS activity. “With the Joint Brigade forces deployed, we anticipate an 80% reduction in ISIS militant activity in these areas, eliminating the security vacuum between Peshmerga and Iraqi Army forces,” Chawri said.

The troops are currently establishing defensive positions, constructing military watchtowers, and setting up checkpoints. “We are fortifying the region, creating posts, and building observation towers to monitor and secure the area,” Chawri added.

Chawri also pointed out the strategic importance of the deployment, stating, “ISIS militants have been using the Palakana and Ghara areas, which are mountainous, as a private base to launch attacks against civilians and security forces.”

Though ISIS was territorially defeated in Iraq in 2017, remnants of the group continue to be active. Security forces regularly conduct operations against ISIS cells. On Sept. 16, a Peshmerga soldier was seriously injured when an improvised explosive device detonated during a routine patrol in the Ghara area.

“There were several obstacles preventing this deployment in the past, but those issues have now been resolved. In the coming days, the forces will be fully stationed in these areas,” the commander confirmed.