MESOP : STIMULUS & RESPONSE – Peshmerga forces won’t attack “terrorists”: secretary general

25.7.2014 – Kurdpress – The Secretary General of the Iraqi Kurdish forces of Peshmerga, Jabbar Yawar, said the Kurdish forces will not fight against “terrorists” but will only respond them in case of any possible assaults.

Yawar told al-Monitor that they region has 1000 km borderline with the terrorists of the Islamic State of Iraq and Sham (ISIS) and it is impossible to attack them at such a long border.Blaming Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki who said “Iraqi army will free the regions that have been occupied by the Peshmerga”, Yawar said “we feel no threat in Maliki’s remarks and we hope he could be able to control Iraq’s troubled situation but he is not at a situation to threaten any sides including Kurds and neighbors. He is unable to put his threats into action and is better to retake control of Mosul, Ramadi and Sallahaddin.”Yawar further denied accusations that Peshmerga forces have seized weapons belonging to Iraqi army, adding that “Iraqi army left its weapons for terrorists and left its posts and the terrorists seized the weapons.” Peshmerga forces have light and heavy weapons but they do not have any aerial support, he said about the capabilities of the Kurdish forces, reiterating that Peshmerga ministry has received any financial, training and military support from Iraq since 2004.