SULAIMANI (ESTA) — Kurdistan Region Vice President Jaafar Sheikh Mustafa said operations against Islamic State (ISIS) militants could continue after the completion of joint brigades between the Iraqi and Kurdish forces.
The Iraqi military and the Kurdish forces have been working to form two joint brigades to protect the disputed territories from ISIS attacks.
In an official document, Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi authorized the registration of the 20th Brigade of the Peshmerga forces within the structure of the Iraqi defense ministry so as to form joint forces.
In a meeting with a U.S. military delegation, the Region’s vice president stressed the formation of the two brigades between the Kurdish and Iraqi forces, Kurdistan Region presidency said in a statement.
Sheikh Mustafa added that the Iraqi army and Peshmerga forces had taken legal and military measures to form the brigades.
“With the completion of the two brigades, operations against ISIS can continue with the help of the coalition forces,” he said.
The U.S. military delegation reiterated support and assistance to the Iraqi military and Peshmerga forces to preserve security and stability in the region.
Attempts to form joint forces come as ISIS militants increased attacks against civilians and security forces in the disputed territories, claimed by both Baghdad and Erbil.
On November 4, Col. Todd Burroughs, Deputy Director of MAG-North of the U.S.-led Coalition forces, said continued ISIS attacks stressed the importance of joint forces between the Iraqi and Kurdish forces.
Kurdish officials have repeatedly warned that ISIS militants are using a “security vacuum” between the Iraqi and Kurdish forces to carry out attacks in the disputed territories.
To fill the gaps, the Iraqi military and Peshmerga forces established four joint operation rooms in Khanaqin, Makhmour, Kirkuk and Mosul to exchange information and launch joint operations against the militants.
Iraq declared victory over Islamic State in December 2017 but the militants have regrouped in the Hamrin mountain range which extends into the northern provinces – an area described by officials as a “triangle of death”.
