Barzani & Pentagon Chief Discuss IS – US will continue increasing support for Peshmerga forces, Ashton Carter pledges

Sardar Sattar – BasNews – 12 July 2016 – ERBIL — Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani and US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter discussed the anti-Islamic State (IS) efforts in a phone call on Monday.While visiting Baghdad on July 11th, Carter and Barzani made a phone call and exchanged views on the war on IS, the cooperation between Kurdish Peshmerga forces and US as well as the bilateral ties between Washington and Erbil.

Kurdistan Region Presidency said in a statement that Carter praised the role of Peshmerga forces in maintaining and increasing momentum against IS militants in Iraq, and promised his country’s support for the Kurdish forces to continue.Pentagon chief also welcomed the close cooperation between Peshmerga forces and Iraqi army in the battle against jihadists. Barzani thanked the US and coalition forces for standing with Peshmerga and aiding them to defeat IS, and commended Washington for providing military assistance to Erbil. Carter payed a surprise visit to Baghdad on Monday, meeting with Iraqi officials and US military commanders stationed in Iraq. He also announced the deployment of 560 additional US troops to Iraq to help government forces as they are advancing toward Mosul. www.mesop.de