MESOP : PKK has not defended Kurdistan Region: Peshmerga ministry

A leading official of Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) ministry of Peshmerga denied fighters of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) denied the Iraqi northern autonomous region.The ministry’s Media Chief Halgurd Hekmat told Kurdistan Democratic Party’s (KDP) official website that the only force that is fighting the terrorists of the Islamic State is Peshmerga. It is right that all Kurds have been together in fighting against the jihadists and many states have aided the region in the war but the only force that is fighting the extremist militants is Peshmerga and there is no other force in war fronts.

The presence of the PKK forces in Makhmour and People Defense Units (YPG) fighters on borders was to defend themselves not to cooperate with Peshmerga, Hekmat went on to say. The remarks come as a reaction to Arabic and Kurdish media reports that the PKK is cooperating with Peshmerga and the two forces are working together against the Islamic State militants. After the IS assault onto Kurdistan Region a large number of the PKK forces were sent to war fronts in Makhmour and Shimgal.

In an interview with Kurdpress news agency PKK Foreign Relation Chief Demhat Agid said the party’s forces have not asked for any person’s permission to enter into the Kurdish region and would remain till the region needs protection. Erbil would have fallen to IS forces if the PKK had not intervened in the jihadists’ war on the region, Agid said about the party’s cooperation with Peshmerga. In a surprise visit to Makhmour camp and PKK bases in the region, Kurdistan Region President Massoud Barzani appreciated the role of the Kurdish forces.