Shafaq News/ The President of the Kurdistan Region and the Commander-in-Chief of the Peshmarga Forces, Nechirvan Barzani, chaired a military meeting at the office of the Kurdistan Region Presidency earlier today, Monday. 

According to a readout issued by the Region's Presidency, the meeting was attended by the Vice Presidents, Ministers of Peshmarga and Interior, Commanders of the Units 70 and 80, high level Peshmarga Commanders, and field Commanders of the frontlines against ISIS terrorists were also present.

The meeting started with paying tribute to the victims who recently perished in the battle against terrorists.

 "The President extended his condolences to the esteemed families of the fallen heroes and expressed his sympathies to their surviving loved ones. The President wished the wounded a speedy recovery," the statement said.

The Commander in Chief underlined that to confront and defeat ISIS terrorists, fullest military cooperation and coordination between the Peshmarga forces and the Iraqi army is needed in order to cover the security vacuum created between the two sides and to confront their mutual enemy ISIS, who continues to pose threats to peace and stability in the entire country.

At the meeting, the military situation and the defense lines of the Kurdistan Region were assessed. Field Commanders gave brief overviews of the latest developments in the frontlines and their needs. The Minister of Peshmarga discussed the plans and the steps taken at the Ministry to confront terrorists and referred to the Peshmarga’s military needs.

It was reaffirmed that the terrorists exploit the vacuum and security gaps in areas between the Peshmarga and the Iraqi army to launch attacks, which they also use to infiltrate and launch assaults on Peshmarga and innocent civilians in the area.

The President gave orders to rapidly secure the urgent needs of the Peshmarga forces, in coordination with the Kurdistan Regional Government and relevant authorities. The President tasked the Commanders and the relevant authorities to reorganize the frontlines of the battle against terrorists, to fill the gaps and to offset the shortages with full cooperation and coordination between the Peshmarga and the Iraqi army.

The President expressed his deepest gratitude and appreciation to the Kurdistan’s brave heroes who protect the Kurdistan Region and its achievements with their lives, heroically confronting a vicious foe. The President underlined that the resilience and resistance of the Peshmarga will no doubt defeat the enemy.

The President reassured the people of Kurdistan that the Peshmarga will protect them with all their powers and that the Presidency, the Government and all other relevant authorities in the Kurdistan Region will spare no efforts to fully support the Peshmarga towards success.