Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq, (KRG.org) - President Massoud Barzani held a meeting yesterday with the returned Peshmergas who had been fighting the Islamic State terrorist organization, known as ISIS, in Kobane. The President honoured and commended their efforts and highlighted their “determinant role in the fight and their commitment in assisting their Kurdish brethren in Syria.”

In late October, the Kurdistan Regional Government, KRG, sent 160 Peshmerga troops along with heavy artillery to Kobane to assist the Syrian Kurdish forces in their fight against ISIS. None of the Peshmergas were martyred. However, 11 were injured.

They have all returned back to the Kurdistan Region, Brigadier Ahmed Gardi, who led the Peshmerga troops in Kobane, told KRG.org.

Having fought for over a month, they were replaced with a second group of another 160 soldiers who left the Kurdistan Region last week. The Peshmergas flew to Turkey and crossed the border to Syria, whereas weapons where brought to Kobane by road.

In a statement to KRG.org, Helgurd Hikmet, Spokesperson for the Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs, said that the military objectives of sending troops to Kobane had so far been met. “Not only had the Peshmergas from the Kurdistan Region brought heavy artillery with them to Kobane, strengthening Syrian Kurdish forces position, they had also been involved in direct combat operations, alongside Syrian Kurdish forces, with the coalition air force support, against ISIS.”

Brigadier Ahmed Gardi stated that “When the Peshmerga forces arrived in Kobane, Syrian Kurdish forces only had control of 15 to 20 percent of the Kurdish town. Following the arrival of the Peshmerga troupes, 20 to 30 square kilometers of Kobane started to be liberated per day. Now, 50 percent of the war torn town is under Kurdish control and 50 percent under ISIS."

He added “After recapturing and liberating areas that previously were under the control of the terrorists, 200 displaced families who were stranded on the border with Turkey were able to return to the Peshmerga secured parts of Kobane.”

At the meeting, President Barzani told the returned Peshmergas, that the “Peshmerga forces of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq were ready to continue to provide military and other forms of support to the people of Kobane.”

The President also presented his condolences to the families and loved ones of the Peshmerga forces who had been killed by the terrorists since the start of the fight against ISIS in Kurdistan Region in early August.

Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani welcomed French President François Hollande in Erbil on Friday.

After his arrival in Erbil, President Hollande and President Barzani visited a refugee camp in a district in Erbil, and later held a meeting. President Hollande, the first foreign head of state to visit Erbil, was accopamnbied by Foreign Minister Laurent Fabios and Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian.

Following their meeting with President Barzani and KRG officials, the two Presidents held a joint press conference.

President Hollande said France would continue to provide humanitarian and military aid to Kurdistan in its fight against ISIS terrorists. He said that as the Kurdistan Region is at the forefront of the fight against ISIS terrorists, a delegation from Kurdistan is invited to attend an international conference, due in Paris next week, designed to coordinate international effort to confront threat posed by ISIS terrorists.

The French President also highly praised the role of the Peshmerga forces in this fight and pledged increased military aid to the Peshmerga forces. 

President Barzani described the visit to Kurdistan by President Hollande as historic and thanked the president and people of France for standing by the people of Kurdistan in their hour of need, saying that France was first EU country to come to the aid of Kurdistan in the fight against ISIS terrorists. He also added that thanks to the support by France and other countries, the Peshmrega forces are now taking the fight to ISIS and have the upper hand. President Barzani vowed that the Kurdistan Region would continue to fight until the ISIS terrorist group is uprooted and destroyed.

Salahaddin, Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRP,org) – Since the start of the campaign by the terrorist group ISIS to attack the Kurdistan Region last week, many countries have expressed their support to the KRG in its fight against the terrorism, and have also offered humanitarian aid to the tens of thousands of IDPs who have sought refuge in Kurdistan. 

US Vice President Biden, Germany Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond, and Italian Foreign Minister Federica Mogherini all called President Barzani this week to show the support and solidarity of their countries for the Kurdistan Region in its fight against the terrorist group ISIS. 

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius visited Erbil on Sunday and met with President Barzani. In a joint press conference following their meeting, President Barzani thanked the Unites States and France and other countries that have offered their support to the Kurdistan Region.

Erbil, Kurdistan region of Iraq, (krp.org)- President Masoud Barzani received a French diplomatic delegation headed by the Foreign Minister of France, Mr. Laurent Fabius today in Erbil. During the meeting, President Barzani warmly welcomed the delegation and expressed his thanks to the government of France for their support of the Kurdistan Region. 

President Barzani during a press conference with Mr. Laurent Fabius discussed the latest political developments in Iraq and the security and military situation in the Kurdistan Region. President Barzani stated that the terrorists of ISIS will not be able to damage the relations between the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and our Arab brothers and that ISIS is a common enemy for all of Iraq and much beyond.

Sulaimaniya, Kurdistan Region of Iraq, (KRP.org / KRG.org) – Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani yesterday visited President Jalal Talabani at his residence in Sulaimaniya. He was accompanied by Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani.

President Barzani expressed his joy for President Talabani's return and wished him a prompt recovery.

Earlier, Prime Minister Barzani issued a statement congratulating the people of Kurdistan on the occasion of the return of President Talabani. He described the political role President Talabani has played in Kurdistan and Iraq as historic.

The Prime Minister said, "Along with President Masoud Barzani, he played an important role in securing the democratic experience for the people of Kurdistan, ensuring political pluralism and the establishment of parliamentary life in Kurdistan. His absence in Kurdistan and Iraq, due to his illness, has been keenly felt in the political life and governance of Iraq.”

He added, "On behalf of the Kurdistan Regional Government and in my name, I warmly welcome him back, and I congratulate all the people of Kurdistan and wish him a prompt recovery and longevity. We are confident that his return will bring good and joy to the people of Kurdistan."

Iraqi President Jalal Talabani returned to the Kurdistan Region last Saturday after having received medical treatment in Germany following a stroke he suffered in late 2012.

Salahadin, Kurdistan Region of Iraq, (krp.org)- President Masoud Barzani received Patriarch Louis Raphael I Sako, the Chaldean Patriarch of Babylon at his office in Salahadin today. Patriarch Sako was a accompanied by a delegation of clergymen from the Nineveh plains and other parts of Iraq. 

President Barzani warmly welcomed the delegation and reiterated his support for the Christian community of Mosul who have recently been subjected to a number of acts of violence in the hands of the ISIS terrorists. The President stated that the Kurdistan Region will continue to support the fleeing Christians and will utterly condemned the ISIS acts of terrorism against the Christians of the Nineveh plains. President Barzani said that "we will all either die together or we will live together with dignity," adding that the terrorist are a common enemy.

Patriarch Sako and the accompanying delegation expressed their gratitude to President Barzani and to the Kurdistan Region's stance of support, praying to an end of the current crisis in Mosul. 

Erbil, Kurdistan Region of Iraq, (krp,org)- President Masoud Barzani received a United Nations delegation today in Erbil headed by the Secretary General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon. The delegation consisted of several UN officials who were accompanying the Secretary-General in their visit to the Kurdistan Region following the latest political and security issues in Iraq, which have led to the fleeing of tens of thousands of Iraq Arabs to the Kurdistan Region. Mr. Ban Ki-moon took the opportunity to thank President Barzani and the Kurdistan Regional Government for their role in providing security for the displaced Iraqis who have found in the Kurdistan Region a secure refuge in the recent weeks. Mr. Ban Ki-moon added that the Kurdistan Region's response to the current crisis in Iraq is especially appreciated given the fact that there already were large numbers of Syrian refugees in Kurdistan.

President Barzani repeated his stance of Kurdistan Region's readiness to continue and provide aid to the families fleeing from the chaos of the rest of Iraq, adding that he hopes for a better and more peaceful future for Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.

President Barzani and Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon concluded their meeting in Erbil with a press conference where the two expressed their views on the current situation in Iraq to local, national and international journalists. 

Salahaddin, Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRP.org) – President Masoud Barzani met with U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Iraq and Iran Brett McGurk today to discuss the latest political and security developments in Iraq.

Mr McGurk expressed his country’s concern about the spread of terrorism in Iraq, after the events of Ninawa last month and said that the US would support Iraq in its fight against terrorist groups provided the political process is put on the right track and a truly inclusive government is formed in Baghdad. He also thanked the KRG for their role and security cooperation in Ninawa.

President Barzani stated that the Region will work on two paths in parallel: the first is to work with moderate Shia and Sunnis in Iraq to find a comprehensive political solution based on the new realities on the ground. The second is that the Region would continue in its efforts to organize a referendum so that the people will exercise their right for self-determination.