Kurdistan
Lindsey Graham (left) was received by President Nechirvan Barzani in Erbil on July 5, 2022. Photo: Office of the President
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani received the US prominent senator Lindsey Graham in Erbil on Tuesday, discussing the latest developments in the region, including the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS) and the group's threats, according to a statement from the Office of the President.
A top American diplomatic and military delegation joined senator Graham in the meeting with President Barzani, including Major General John Brennan, Commander of the Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR).
“The situation in Iraq, political process in the country, latest developments on the fight against terrorism, Erbil-Baghdad relations and talks to resolve issues between them, the situation in Syria and the Kurdish issue in the country were discussed in the meeting,” read the statement.
Barzani expressed the Kurdistan Region’s gratitude for the US support in the fight against ISIS.
Senator Graham also met with top Iraqi officials on Monday.
US Embassy in Baghdad said in a statement late Tuesday that in his meetings with Iraqi and Kurdish officials, Senator Graham "expressed support for America’s strategic priorities in Iraq: fostering stability and economic growth, bolstering democracy and governance, and ensuring security and sovereignty."
The US-led coalition was formed in 2014 to combat ISIS which had controlled swathes of Syrian and Iraqi land but was territorially defeated in both countries by 2019. The coalition has supported Peshmerga in the fight against ISIS, trained them and equipped them with weapons. The US also pays the salaries of two Peshmerga brigades.
On June 28, President Barzani and a number of Kurdish political and military officials received a top delegation from the global coalition led by Major General Brennan. They discussed the fight against ISIS.
Brennan stressed at the time that the “US will continue supporting the Peshmerga so that they are organised under the Peshmerga ministry and as one command and made a national force that is strong and capable of operating its duties,” according to a statement from the Office of the President at the time.
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