ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Kurdistan Region president and prime minister and his deputy on Sunday extended their condolences to the families of the victims of a deadly improvised explosive device (IED) explosion on a joint Iraqi-Kurdish brigade in the disputed Salahadin province, reiterating the need for greater cooperation between Peshmerga and Iraqi forces to counter terrorism.
Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani said in his message of condolences to the victims' families that he condemns the incident, underscoring the need for "continued and enhanced coordination and cooperation" between both the Kurdish and federal forces in the disputed territories which includes Salahadin, Kirkuk and Nineveh.
The Peshmerga ministry on Sunday announced two Kurdish Peshmerga commanders and another fighter were killed, with three soldiers wounded when an IED exploded on a joint Iraqi-Kurdish patrol in Salahaddin province’s Tuz Khurmatu, located about 65 kilometers south of Kirkuk city.
A peshmerga source told Rudaw that the IED exploded on a Peshmerga Humvee and was “most likely planted by ISIS.”
Prime Minister Masrour Barzani expressed his “deep condolences” in a statement. He too emphasized “the importance of developing cooperation and coordination between the Peshmerga forces and the Iraqi army to confront security threats and issues and consolidate peace and stability in the Kurdish areas outside the Kurdistan Region’s administration.”
The Iraqi army and Peshmerga forces frequently conduct operations against ISIS in the disputed territories.
“I extend my heartfelt condolences to their families and comrades and wish a speedy recovery for the wounded,” said Kurdistan Region Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani in a Facebook post.
ISIS seized control of swathes of Iraqi land in a brazen offensive in 2014. It was declared territorially defeated in 2017 after Iraqi and Kurdish fighters, supported by a US-led global coalition, clawed back territory from the jihadists.
Despite its territorial defeat, the militants have taken shelter in the disputed territories between Erbil and Baghdad, where there is a security vacuum.
