SULAIMANI (ESTA) — Bafel Jalal Talabani said he had warned the Iraqi government and U.S.-led Coalition forces several times of the danger of Islamic State (ISIS) movement in the country.
Talabani met with security and Peshmerga commanders on Tuesday to discuss the security situation of the disputed territories and areas where there are security gaps, his office said in a statement.
Several decisions were made to further protect security and stability and to confront ISIS remnants, Talabani’s office said.
“We have warned the government of Iraq and the Coalition forces several times of the danger of ISIS remnants’ movement and of taking advantage of areas where there is a security gap,” Talabani said.
“As the Peshmerga forces, we will have our own plans and strategy to further protect the Kurdistan Region and to save the Peshmerga forces and members of the security services,” he added.
He also called on the Peshmerga commanders to “further open their eyes” and to preserve security and stability as well as people’s lives with their military might, the statement read.
The meeting came after ISIS militants attacked the Peshmerga forces in the administration of Garmian three times in a week.
Seven members of the Peshmerga forces were killed in the attacks.
The Peshmerga ministry said the militants continued to use a security gap between the Iraqi and Kurdish forces to attack the Peshmerga.
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”.
