On Sunday, Vice Admiral Edward Ahlgren, the UK Defense Senior Advisor to the Middle East and North Africa, underlined that the UK looks forward to continuing its positive relationship with the Peshmerga after his visit to the Kurdistan Region.

His visit comes prior to the planned withdrawal of all Coalition troops from the Kurdistan Region by September 30.

“Now, the discussions I’ve had today during my visit have identified areas for development and a pathway for us to pursue jointly within the framework of the forthcoming bilateral defense MoU with Iraq,” he said. 

“As the world knows, we have a long history with the Kurdistan Region and the Peshmerga, and I look forward to the continuation of that proud and positive history in pursuit of common security, prosperity, and ultimately peace.”

Moreover, he underlined that, “given the challenging times we live in today, it’s important that friends and partners work closely together to strengthen alliances, identify areas for further cooperation, and above all else, root out sources of instability and malevolence.”

Read More: KRG PM Barzani Appreciates Support by UK and Coalition

UK Vice Admiral Ahlgren met with several Kurdish leaders during his visit, including Kurdistan Regional Regional Government Prime Minister Barzani, who reiterated the Kurdistan Region’s appreciation for the support and assistance provided by the UK and Coalition forces.