President Masoud Barzani met with the visiting Norwegian Foreign Minister Børge Brendein Erbil on Tuesday. The President and the the Norwegian Foreign Minister discussed the fight against ISIS terrorists, the humanitarian plight of hundreds of thousands of Iraqi IDPs, and government formation process in Baghdad.

President Barzani thanked the Norwegian Foreign Minister for his visit and said that this visit demonstrates Norway’s solidarity and support for the Kurdistan Region. Address the plight of hundreds of thousands of IDPs is beyond the capacity of the KRG and there is a dire need for international support and cooperation, said the President.

Foreign Minister Brende said he is visiting to show his country’s solidarity and support to the people of Kurdistan in their struggle against terrorism, adding that the KRG can depend on Norway for both humanitarian and military support. He further added that his country has already provided 25 million US dollars for the humanitarian crisis and it intends to provide an additional 10 million.

Salahadin, Kurdistan Region of Iraq (krp.org)- The Kurdistan Region Presidency strongly condemns the cowardly act of beheading the American journalist, James Foley, by the terrorists of ISIS. This shameful act serves as a reminder of the cruelty of the terrorists of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.  The Kurdistan Region Presidency is hereby extending, on behalf of the people of the Kurdistan Region, condolences to the family and loved ones of Mr. Foley and the government of the United States of America.

Erbil, Kurdistan, Iraq (KRG.org) - The Kurdistan Regional Government would like to express its gratitude, appreciation, and indebtedness to President Barack Obama for taking the timely decision to provide airstrikes against the forces of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) terrorist group that was killing, hunting, and terrifying innocent people in Kurdistan as well as Iraq's ancient minorities: the Yazidis, Christians, Shabak, and other groups.

We feared that we would forever lose these minority communities if the ISIS terrorists were not stopped immediately. We feared that they would commit widespread genocide against these vunerable groups. We also feared that the killing machine of this inhuman ideology would be able to threaten even the very existence of Kurdistan - the only stable, democratic, tolerant Region in Iraq.

We are grateful to the men and women of the American armed forces who have carried out these decisive attacks against the terrorist forces of ISIS.

We would like to wholeheartedly thank the Foreign Affairs Council of the European Union for its decision to allow member states to provide the Kurdistan Regional Government with military material and to strengthen their presence in Erbil.

The KRG highly appreciates all other diplomatic, political, and humanitarian assistance provided by several countries, including France, the United Kingdom, Iran, and other countries.

The ISIS terrorists heinous acts of cruelty against our minorities in Kurdistan and Iraq. We thought we had witnessed the worst after Saddam Hussein attacked Kurdish civilians in 1988 and 1989 with chemical weapons, notably the attack against the people of Halabja. We thought we had experienced enough violence and killing when hundreds of thousands of Kurdish civilians and minorities fled Iraq's army in the spring of 1991, seeking refuge in Turkey and Iran. We thought we enduring enough suffering in human lives, oppression, mass killing, genocide, and trauma when Saddam Hussein's regime of destruction was removed in 2003.

We are now reminded that evil forces still surround us, forces with no respect for human life. The inhumane motivations of ISIS and brutal attacks against religious and ethnic minorities have presented grave existential threats against these vulnerable minorities in Sinjar and throughout Ninevah province. Those who have escaped to safety are now suffering intensely and collectively due to the atrocities they witnessed.

Together with the international community, we are taking responsibility to protect these minority groups in Kurdistan and Iraq. We need to make sure that those who have lost their lives are buried properly, while at the same time providing all necessary assistance to the injured and exhausted now sheltered in Kurdistan. We need to do all that we can to find and bring back kidnapped women and children. We must, in the best manner possible, look after the enormous groups of internally displaced people still suffering from the nightmare of what has happened to them and their kidnapped relatives.

Once again we thank all political leaders, members of parliament, military officials, rescue crews, United Nations agencies, medical teams, Peshmerga forces, and the general public for their role in doing their utmost to save as many lives as possible.

We are sure that once the military material and equipment is delivered to the Peshmerga forces, we will be able to protect all the citizens of our Region and safeguard our democratic achievements, religious and ethnic diversity, and culture of tolerance and peaceful coexistence. These values set the Kurdistan Region apart, and the support and commitment from the international community indicate that we are fighting for the right values and standards.

Council of Ministers

Kurdistan Regional Government

20 August 2014 

During his meeting with (Lancs Mackie) British Consul in Erbil, who visited the parliament Dr. Yousef Mohammad Sadiq the president of the Kurdistan Parliament stressed on the need of the UK Nations contribution in providing assistance to the Kurdistan Regional Government in this circumstance, he also hopes that the British government offer humanitarian aid to displaced and the British government will be pioneer to provide such assistance.

The President of the Parliament of Kurdistan during the meeting talked  About the humanitarian situation through which displaced people from different areas faced, nowadays.

The security situation of the areas and the conditions of the Peshmerga forces that address for terrorists witnessed, that humanitarian conditions of the displaced are not good and they need a helping hand and provide the basic necessities for living and we hope that the British government help in providing services to them, such as humanitarian aid and military, logistical aid to the Peshmerga to protect Kurdistan from the terrorist.

For his part, Lancs Mackie British Consul in Erbil thanks  President of Kurdistan Parliament on the information that he provided during the meeting about the current situation in the region and the difficult conditions for the displaced of Kurdistan and information about the conditions of the Peshmerga forces, describing the activities of the Kurdistan Parliament and interest in the conditions of the displaced terms, stressing that his country supports Kurdistan in all circumstances and that the British government will contribute humanitarian assistance to the displaced, hoping to end the outstanding problems between the Kurdistan Regional Government and the central government in Baghdad.

Erbil, Kurdistan, Iraq (KRG.org) – Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani yesterday welcomed Sweden’s Foreign Minister Carl Bildt, the European Union’s Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid Kristalina Georgieva, and a number of European Union officials to Kurdistan to review the current crisis.

Foreign Minister Bildt expressed the full solidarity of Sweden and the European Union with the Kurdistan Region in its fight against the terrorists. He said that he wished to be fully aware of the situation on the ground and to make it clear to everyone that Sweden and the European Union stand with the Kurdistan Region during this difficult time.

Prime Minister Barzani thanked the Foreign Minister for his visit, explaining that it sends a positive message to the people of Kurdistan and demonstrates that Kurds are not alone. He provided the delegation with a security update regarding the advances of the Peshmerga forces and said that the KRG is resolved to fight and defeat the terrorists. He stated that the Kurdistan Region’s forces need modern weapons, ammunition, and equipment in their fight against the terrorist group.

The Prime Minister spoke in detail about the dire humanitarian situation facing the internally displaced people and the refugees who have fled to the Kurdistan Region. The KRG seeks international assistance to support the displaced. He noted the KRG policy to fully support and protect all ethnic and religious minorities in the area to the greatest extent possible.

Commissioner Georgieva conveyed the European Union’s commendation for the efforts of the Kurdistan Region to respond to the needs of the internally displaced people and refugees despite the KRG not receiving its share of the federal budget from Baghdad. The support provided by the KRG thus far has proved that the Kurdistan Region deserves international support.

Finally, all parties expressed hope for a rejuvenated Iraqi political process, the formation of a new cabinet, and the beginning of a new political phase in Iraq. All agreed upon the need for an inclusive government that would represent all Iraqis and prompt genuine reform in the country’s political system. 

Norway’s Foreign Minister Børge Brende called President Masoud Barzanion on Monday to express his country’s support and solidarity for the KRG in its fight against ISIS terrorists. He also praised the peshmerga forces for their bravery and recent victories against the terrorist group. 

President Barzani thanked the Norwegian foreign minister and said that on behalf of the free world, the people of Kurdistan are proudly fighting a terrorist state, which has gained the advanced weapons from the armies of both Iraq and Syria. 

During their telephone conversation, they also discussed the plight of hundreds of thousands of IDP and refugees who have sought refuge in Kurdistan. On this, the President said that the KRG is now providing for the needs of more than 1.5 million people. 

Erbil, Kurdistan, Iraq (KRG.org) – Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani today received Cardinal Fernando Filoni, special envoy of Pope Francis, and his accompanying delegation.

The envoy conveyed the Pope’s greetings and gratitude to Prime Minister Barzani for the help and support provided by the government and the people of the Kurdistan Region to displaced Christians. Most of the Christians came from the Ninevah plains and Mosul. The delegation also applauded the KRG effort to protect all other internally displaced people fleeing terrorists.

Prime Minister Barzani reiterated that it is the duty of the KRG to protect and support displaced Christians, Yezidis, and other religious and ethnic groups seeking refuge in the Kurdistan Region. He said he would mobilise all resources to support them; however, given the number of refugees and displaced people, the KRG cannot provide adequate assistance. It is therefore necessary for the Iraqi government and the international community to promptly provide humanitarian assistance.

The Prime Minister added that Christians, Yezidis, and other minority groups are natives of the area, with historic roots in the region. They need physical protection from the terrorists, not only verbal support, because the terrorists target churches, mosques, and shrines. Prime Minister Barzani noted that the terrorists now constitute an army and include individuals from all over the world, so the international community, in coordination with the KRG and the Government of Iraq, must confront them together.

In the meeting both sides agreed upon the importance of international protection for all ethnic and religious communities native to the Ninevah plains, including Christians, Yezidis, Shia, Sunnis, Turkmen, Shabak, Kurds, and Arabs. Both parties agreed to exert pressure at the global level to assure international protection from the terrorists.

The Cardinal requested the KRG to identify solutions for housing and accommodation for the displaced, as well as an arrangement for students so that they would not lose an academic year. The Prime Minister promised to follow-up on this request and coordinate with relevant KRG authorities to implement appropriate measures.

During the meeting it was decided to establish a committee in Erbil between KRG authorities and relevant Christian community leaders to respond to the immediate needs of displaced people, with similar committees to be formed in other provinces.

The delegation stated that Christians will never forget the support provided by the government and the people of Kurdistan, and that history will record these actions. Prime Minister Barzani urged the delegation to mobilise the Vatican’s international influence to support the Kurdistan Region and the displaced families it is hosting.

Tehran, June 15, IRNA – Daesh terrorist group is a threat to security the entire region, Representative of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), Nazem Dabbagh, said on Sunday.

Talking to IRNA, he noted that certain regional governments and global powers as well as the outlawed Iraqi Baath Party are supporting the Daesh terror group.

Daesh is desperate and has no place in the future of Iraq and Syria democratic process, Dabbagh noted referring to the recent presidential election in Syria and parliamentary election in Iraq.

He called for international support for the Iraqi government in campaign against the terrorists.

He said that Iraqi Kurdistan regional government troops are on full alert to thwart the menace of terrorism.

He also reported that half a million refugees who have escaped Mosul have already entered the Iraqi Kurdistan province.

Daesh is a Salafi organization affiliated to al-Qaeda. The terror group was first founded in Iraq in 2004.