Barzani: ISIS remains serious threat to Iraq and Syria
By Saad al-Yaziji
DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – President of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Nechirvan Barzani, said on Sunday that the Islamic State (ISIS) continues to pose a serious threat to both Iraq and Syria, stressing the importance of close cooperation with the United States to counter the group’s activities.
Barzani’s remarks came during a meeting in Erbil with U.S. Republican Senator Joni Kay Ernst, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. The discussions focused on regional security, ongoing terrorist threats, and the role of Washington in supporting stability in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.
A statement issued by the Kurdistan Region Presidency said, “President Nechirvan Barzani received Senator Joni Ernst and her accompanying delegation. The talks addressed U.S. support for safeguarding Iraq’s security and stability, in addition to the situation in the Kurdistan Region.”
The statement added that the meeting also covered the persistent danger of ISIS to Iraq and Syria, along with broader developments in the Middle East and their impact on the region.
Barzani expressed his “gratitude and appreciation to the United States for its assistance and support to Iraq and the Kurdistan Region in facing the threats and dangers of terrorism.”
For her part, Senator Ernst emphasized Washington’s continued commitment to backing Iraq and the Kurdistan Region. She reaffirmed that the U.S. would remain a reliable partner in countering ISIS and supporting regional security.
Although the group was territorially defeated in both Iraq and Syria, ISIS remnants continue to carry out sporadic attacks in areas of instability. In Syria, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), in partnership with the Global Coalition, have maintained sustained counterterrorism operations to prevent the group from re-emerging.
Sunday’s meeting in Erbil highlighted shared concerns over security challenges and underlined the need for sustained cooperation between local authorities and international partners to curb the ongoing ISIS threat.