Erbil, Kurdistan, Iraq (KRG.org) – The Foreign Minister of Iraq, Hoshyar Zebari, and the Kurdistan Region President’s Chief of Staff, Dr Fuad Hussein, today held a press conference to discuss recent security developments.
Foreign Minister Zebari stated that the most important development has been the decision by the United States to protect human lives – a critical decision for Kurdistan, Iraq, and the entire region. He said that the air strikes are intended to degrade the terrorists’ capabilities and achieve strategic gains, and have been very effective. He added that there is an American military team on the ground in Erbil in order to ensure tactical coordination with the Peshmerga forces. He noted that since the air strikes began, the environment has completely changed, and that Peshmerga are holding their ground and will be moving on the offensive.
Dr Fuad Hussein said that the terrorists are waging a war against humanity, and are not aligned with any religion. He mentioned that the Kurds used to say that they had no friends but the mountains, but this does not ring true anymore. Dr Hussein applauded the American decision to provide air strikes and humanitarian assistance, French support, and the efforts of the Pope to draw attention to the crisis. He discussed the plight of the Christian and Yezidi minorities as well, adding that the Kurdistan Region is proud of its culture of coexistence.
Both officials explained that America’s assistance is deeply appreciated. Foreign Minister Zebari lauded the unanimous United Nations Security Council call for urgent international action after France requested an emergency meeting. He said, “We are fighting on behalf of the whole world.” He urged the international community to not underestimate the terrorist group, whose tactics far exceed other terrorist organisations.
Foreign Minister Zebari noted that hundreds of thousands of Iraq’s displaced people, from every sect and ethnicity in Iraq, have taken refuge in Kurdistan. He also said that although the Peshmerga were previously denied weapons from Baghdad because of political issues, it is now clear that the Peshmerga and the Iraqi Security Forces are fighting together against a common enemy.