Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Tuesday received Major General Kevin Leahy, the Commander of the U.S.-led Coalition against ISIS, and underlined the importance of ensuring the rights of Kurdish people in Syria.
According to the KRG readout, they discussed developments in the Kurdistan Region, Iraq, and Syria, as well as cooperation and coordination efforts to confront ISIS and other terrorism threats.
On the situation in Syria, they agreed on the need to maintain security and stability and ensure the rights of the Kurdish people and other communities in the region are protected.
They also discussed progress in unifying the peshmerga forces and ongoing reforms within the Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs.
In a separate meeting with Major General Leahy that was also attended by Minister of Peshmerga Affairs Shoresh Ismail Abdulla, Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani discussed recent security developments in Iraq and Syria.
According to a readout of Kurdistan Region Presidency, the conversation focused on efforts to counter terrorism and eliminate ISIS remnants, as well as the importance of enhancing cooperation and coordination between peshmerga forces, the Iraqi military, and the international coalition forces.
President Barzani emphasized the ongoing importance of international coalition support for Iraq, praising the coordination with coalition partners in confronting terrorist threats.
He also highlighted the continuous cooperation among all parties as crucial for strengthening security in Iraq, especially in the face of ongoing challenges.
For his part, General Leahy praised the role of the Kurdistan Region and the peshmerga forces in the fight against terrorism and reaffirmed the commitment of coalition forces to continue supporting Iraq and the Kurdistan Region to maintain peace, stability, and security, while countering the threats posed by ISIS.