Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani met with the US Special Presidential Envoy for the Global Coalition to Counter ISIL, General John Allen, in Salahaddin today.

General Allen congratulated the recent military successes by peshmerga forces against the ISIS terrorists and commended the leadership and personal supervision of President Barzani in these operations, in particular the breaking of the Mount Sinjar siege and the liberation of the towns of Zummar and Rabia. He added that other countries in the international coalition against ISIS are also all very impressed by the bravery and the sacrifices of the peshmerga forces in the fight against ISIS.

General Allen welcomed the recent military cooperation between Erbil and Baghdad, and reiterated that the United States would continue to support the peshmerga forces.

President Barzani thanked the Unites States, and other coalition countries, for their military support for the peshmerga forces, adding that the people of Kurdistan are very encouraged to have a good friend like the United States behind them. He said that the recent terror attacks in Paris prove that terrorist is a global threat and it needs a global response.

The President and the US Envoy, who was accompanied by US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Brett McGurk and US Ambassador to Iraq Stuart Jones, also discussed ways of further cooperation in the fight against terrorism, and the military requirements of the peshmerga forces.

Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq, (KRG.org) - Kurdistan Region Prime Minister, Nechirvan Barzani, yesterday visited the Peshmerga forces, fighting against the Islamic State terrorist organization, known as ISIS, on the West side of River Tigris in Sihailah and Zummar frontline.

In a meeting with the military commanders and officers of the two sectors of the front, Prime Minister Barzani was briefed and updated on the latest military developments on the front, the continuous advances of Peshmerga forces and their recent victories in repelling ISIS terrorists. He also followed up the Peshmerga forces’ needs and logistics in the battlefront.

The meeting was followed by a visit by Prime Minister Barzani to the town of Zummar, where he visited the local branch offices of both the Kurdistan Democratic Party and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, the only two Kurdish political parties who returned to their offices in Zummar after the liberation of the town from ISIS terrorists, earlier last month.

The Prime Minister met both parties’ officials and discussed the situation in the area, the ways to ensure the return of the displaced people to the town and the provision of basic services, particularly electricity power. The Prime Minister stressed that he will urge the relevant authorities to resolve these issues, as soon as possible, to ensure the return of all public services to the area.

Prime Minister Barzani also visited the main office of Nineveh Oil Board and the Northern Oil Company in Ain Zala, meeting the directors and supervisors of both the board and the company.

They discussed the situation in the area, the nature of the work, and the importance of protecting such infrastructure following its liberation from ISIS terrorists.

Ankara, Turkey, (KRG.org) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan received Kurdistan Regional Government Prime Minister, Nechirvan Barzani, in his new presidential palace, Aksaray, on Friday.

The two sides discussed the situation in Iraq and the region, the latest developments in the war against the Islamic State terrorist organisation, known as ISIS, and the recent advances marked by the Peshmerga forces in Sinjar and Zummar frontline.

The Turkish President expressed his satisfaction with the recent victories by the Peshmerga forces.

The agreement, which was reached early December between Kurdistan Regional Government and the federal government of Iraq, was another topic discussed in the meeting.

President Erdogan lauded both sides for the breakthrough agreement for which he expressed his support. He wished the agreement could pave the way to resolve the rest of the outstanding issues between Erbil and Baghdad.

Prime Minister Barzani and President Erdogan also discussed bilateral relations between Erbil and Ankara. They emphasised on developing and broadening these relations, particularly in domains that are of interest for both sides.