Erbil, Kurdistan Region – US Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter arrived in Erbil on Friday for talks with President Masoud Barzani and other high-level Kurdish officials about the latest developments in the war against the Islamic Stat, or ISIS. Minister of Peshmerga Mustafa Sayed Qadir and other military commanders welcomed the US delegation, which was in Baghdad on Thursday, at Erbil International Airport. Carter is scheduled to meet with Barzani later on Friday before reportedly heading to Turkey for more key regional talks. The US delegation met Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi on Thursday in Baghdad. This is Carter’s first visit to Kurdistan region as the top US defense official. Rudaw’s reporter at the scene said the upcoming meeting between Carter and Barzani will focus on military issues related to the ongoing war against ISIS.
