Barzani holds anti-terror talks with EU delegation

By Ali Mohamed

ERBIL, Iraq

Head of northern Iraq’s Kurdish Regional Government (KRG), Nechirvan Barzani, held talks on Wednesday with a visiting European delegation on ways of combating terrorism.

The delegation included EU Deputy Secretary-General for Political Affairs Jean-Christophe Belliard, EU Ambassador to Iraq Ramon Blecua and head of the EU office in Erbil Clarisse Pasztory.

A statement issued by the KRG said the EU delegation hailed KRG efforts in providing refuge and protection to people displaced by terrorism.

The EU delegation said it was ready to provide support to Iraq and the KRG in all fields, the statement said.

Talks between the two sides dwelt on fears regarding the re-emergence of terrorism and coordination between the KRG and Baghdad to address this danger, the statement added.

Barzani, for his part, hailed humanitarian and military assistance provided by European countries to the Kurdish region, reiterating keenness on bolstering bilateral relations with the EU in all fields.

In late 2017, officials in Baghdad declared that Daesh's military presence in Iraq had been all but destroyed following a three-year war between the terrorist group and the coalition-backed Iraqi army.

Nevertheless, Baghdad continues to wage sporadic operations against the group’s lingering presence in certain parts of the country.