SULAIMANI (ESTA) — An Iraqi military delegation will visit the Kurdistan Region in the near future to discuss activating coordination centers between the Iraqi and Kurdish forces, said a Peshmerga official, as Islamic State (ISIS) has increased attacks against the security forces in disputed territories.
Deputy Chief of Staff of Peshmerga Operations Major General Qaraman Kamal said works on activating the joint coordination centers in Kirkuk, Mosul, Diyala and Makhmour were suspended after the Peshmerga ministry had “notes” on the methods of opening them.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi ordered the activation of the coordination centers between the Iraqi military and the Kurdish forces during a meeting with military officials.
On Sunday, Kadhimi met with ministers of defense, interior and finance and security officials as well as general secretary of the Peshmerga ministry Jabar Yawar and Chief of Staff of the Peshmerga ministry Lieutenant-General Jamal Mohammed.
The meeting came after ISIS militants attacked the Peshmerga near Prde town in south of Erbil in the early hours of Saturday, killing three members of the Kurdish forces and wounding two others.
The Ministry of Peshmerga blamed a “security vacuum” between the Iraqi and Kurdish forces for ISIS attacks against the Peshmerga forces.
“In the meeting, the prime minister ordered the related committees to resume works on the joint coordination centers,” Major General Kamal told Esta Media Network on Monday. “In this regard, a delegation will visit the Kurdistan Region.”
“The activation of those centers will create good coordination between Peshmerga and the Iraqi military, and it is important to have them activated quickly due to the increase of ISIS movement in those areas,” he said.
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”.
On Saturday, Coalition Spokesman Col. Wayne Marotto told Esta Media Network that the U.S.-led Coalition Forces supports establishing four joint coordination centers between the Iraqi and Kurdish forces in the disputed territories, where ISIS exploits the security vacuum to attack the security forces and residents.
“To achieve long term security and stability in Iraq it is important for there to be greater liaison and cooperation between the KRG and GoI, especially in disputed territories where Daesh exploit the gaps to gain more freedom to maneuver,” Marotto said, using an acronym for the Iraqi government.
“The CJTF-OIR goal is that coordination is developed between KSF and ISF to the point that it allows no sanctuary for Daesh fighters,” he added.
