Shafaq News/ On Thursday, Kurdistan Region (KRI) President Nechirvan Barzani urged the Iraqi government to arm the Peshmerga forces as part of the country's military defense system.

President Barzani made his statements during the graduation ceremony for the 29th batch of Peshmerga officers from Zakho military academy, where 792 officers graduated.

Barzani expressed joy that this batch included 50 female officers, among them 13 from the Yazidi community and one from the Kakai community, hoping for “an increase in the number of women among Peshmerga officers in the next batch.”

“The Peshmerga shattered the myth of ISIS and did not allow the extremist organization to approach Kurdistan, demonstrating a remarkable example of defense and self-sacrifice,” he added.

In this context, the President expressed his gratitude to the Global Coalition for their cooperation and support for the Peshmerga and Iraqi forces in the fight against ISIS, describing this support as “strategic and decisive,” and calling on the coalition to continue coordinating and cooperating with the Peshmerga forces and the Iraqi army.

“ISIS still poses a serious threat to the security and stability of Iraq and the Region,” he stated, emphasizing the importance of ongoing coordination and collaboration among the Peshmerga, the Iraqi army, and the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) to establish security and stability in Iraq, especially in disputed areas.

The KRI President continued, "We expect the federal government to fulfill its responsibilities toward the Peshmerga by providing weapons and necessary supplies, without fear of doing so, because the Peshmerga defend Iraq, Kurdistan, and all of humanity."

In conclusion, Barzani reiterated Kurdistan's stance on the current situation in the region, stating, “The Kurdistan Region supports stopping the war and resolving all crises and problems peacefully, without dragging Iraq into the existing tensions.”