By Bahez Kamil
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, said in Erbil Tuesday that EU nations are prepared to support the Kurdistan Region both militarily and on humanitarian issues.
“The war against the Islamic State is not jus a Kurdish war, but it concerns us all,” Mogherini said at a joint press conference in Erbil with Kurdistan Region President Massoud Barzani. “But we are certain that ISIS cannot stay in this region for long,” she said.
Mogherini arrived in Erbil late last night for talks on mutual security concerns, as EU intelligence services worry over trying to find ways to deal with the increasing number of ISIS recruits from Europe.
Officials fear that at least 600 Europeans have joined ISIS in Syria and Iraq, some of whom have already returned and are under surveillance or brought to courts across Europe.
“The Kurdistan Region has proved to be the land of coexistence and tolerance and we will do what we can to assist you,” Mogherini promised.
Peshmerga forces have recaptured vast areas in the northwest of the country which had been lost to ISIS since August. Barzani stressed that Kurdish forces are still in clashes with the jihadist militants.
“The Daesh has no future in this country and we will pressure them further,” Barzani said, referring to ISIS.
He also said Turkey had assisted Kurdish Peshmerga forces with ammunition at the start of the war, but that Ankara’s biggest contribution came when Turkey allowed Peshmerga forces into the embattled Syrian-Kurdish town of Kobane.
