ISIS renews attacks against Peshmerga in Kurdistan Region
ERBIL, KRG, Iraq (North Press) – During the past two days, Peshmerga forces in Garmiyan region in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRG) have been attacked by the Islamic State Organization (ISIS) two times.
“Militants of ISIS attacked the site of the Fourth Brigade of Peshmerga in Kifri,” Ministry of Peshmerga said yesterday.
The Peshmerga forces responded to the attack and the confrontation ended with “the escape of ISIS militants and the return of the situation under control,” the ministerial statement added.
However, the statement did not mention more details about the incident.
Five members of Peshmerga forces were killed and four were wounded in an attack by ISIS yesterday, in Garmiyan area, south of Sulaymaniyah, according to the Ministry of Peshmerga.
Meanwhile, President of KRG, Nechirvan Barzani warned against the expansion and continuation of ISIS attacks saying, “They are a serious message, threat and real danger on the region.”
Barzani called for more cooperation and coordination between Peshmerga and Iraqi army with the support of the US-led Global Coalition noting that this is “an urgent and current need and priority.”
The two attacks occurred in remote areas south Garmiyan that is affiliated with Sulaymaniyah governorate, which successively witnesses moves of ISIS sleeper cells as other areas on the disputing area between Erbil and Baghdad.
In a statement following the first attack, Prime Minister of the KRG, Masrour Barzani, announced, “The Peshmerga forces are in a state of alert and preparedness.”
“ISIS is exploiting the security gaps in those areas and it forms a serious threat to the security of the region and its residents,” he added.
“The joint security centers between the Peshmerga and the Iraqi army in coordination with the US-led Global Coalition to defeat ISIS must be activated,” the Prime Minister stressed.