Erbil warns Shiite militia leader that he'll have no better fate than ISIS

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region—The office of the Kurdish president has described the remarks of a Shiite militia leader against the Peshmerga as disrespectful and warned that his group will not have a better fate than ISIS should they ever think of attacking Kurdistan.

President Masoud Barzani’s office said that Qais Al-Khazali, the leader of the Shiite Asaib Ahl al-Haq militia has made similar unacceptable remarks about the Kurds in the past.

“Surely Al-Khazali and people like him who try to invade Kurdistan will not have a better future than ISIS,” said a statement from the spokesperson for the Kurdish presidency on Wednesday, adding that al-Khazali and his group are a lot weaker than ISIS.

In an interview with a local Iraqi TV station this week, the militia leader said that the Kurds posed a threat that had to be dealt with after ISIS and that it was something that could not be achieved peacefully.

“After ISIS, Kurds are the greatest problem, especially Mr. Masoud Barzani. And solving the problems or peace with them is impossible.”

The office of the Kurdish president said in its statement that they hoped al-Khazali’s comments were only his personal views and that they did not reflect the official position of the Shiite Hashd al-Shaabi.

“We hope that these disrespectful remarks reflect only his views and that of his fighters,” the statement read. “And we do not think he represents Hashd al-Shaabi. We call on the leadership of Hahsd al-Shaabi to express their position regarding Al-Khazali’s remarks.”

On an agreement between Baghdad and Erbil the Peshmerga have contributed to the major offensive launched in October to retake Mosul from ISIS and Iraqi leaders have hailed the close cooperation between their troops and Kurdish forces.

Al-Khazali however, accuses the Kurds of using the war against ISIS to occupy Iraqi territory and that they should withdraw to pre-2003 borders.

For his part, Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani made clear Erbil’s position in a speech in Bashiqa last month that the Peshmerga will stay in areas they have liberated from ISIS since 2014 up to start of the Mosul offesnive on October 17. 

Barzani described them as Kurdish land and promised their multiethnic inhabitants protection and peace.