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October 24th, 2016 
Awake Goy 
nsnbc : The General Command of the Iraqi – Kurdish Peshmega forces denounced air strikes by the US-led coalition against ISIS amidst the ongoing campaign to liberate Mosul from the insurgents as insufficient. The statement came against the backdrop of the visit of a U.S. delegation to northern Iraq.
Masoud Barzani and Peshmerga troops (archives)
A U.S. delegation headed by Brett McGurk, the Special Presidential Envoy for the Global Coalition to Counter the Islamic State (ISIS, ISIL, Daesh) arrived in the semi-autonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq on Saturday.
McGurk met “Kurdish President” Masoud Barzani who in August stated that Kurdistan’s independence was the only remaining viable option for Iraq. The meeting took place in the northern Iraqi “capital” Erbil. Barzani and McGurk reviewed the ongoing operation against ISIS aims at wresting the city from the self-proclaimed Islamic State which for its part has long been supported by deep State networks in Turkey, the USA and Saudi Arabia.
The two discussed the advances made by the Kurdish Peshmerga and exchanged views on related agreements, which were reached between Baghdad, Erbil and Washington. Barzani and McGurk also discussed criticism by the Peshmerga General Command, who were unhappy with the frequency and scale of coalition airstrikes. On Friday the General Command stated:
“Regrettably a number of Peshmerga have paid the ultimate sacrifice for us to deliver today’s gains against ISIS. Coalition warplanes and support were not as decisive as in the past.”
A local source confirmed to nsnbc that several ISIS convoys were leaving unchallenged in the direction of Deir Ez-Zor. Meanwhile, the Peshmerga General Command also complained that the lack of sustained air support resulted in unnecessary loss of troops and impeded the campaign. Meanwhile, the northern Iraqi KDP dominated presidency stated that:
“Mr McGurk conveyed President Obama’s message of support to the Kurdistan Region and stated that the Peshmerga forces are indeed fighting this war on behalf of the free world, adding that all needed support should be provided to them. … President Barzani’s extraordinary leadership has brought the Kurdistan Region of Iraq even closer to Washington in the past two years. He expressed his condolences to the families and loved ones of the martyred Peshmerga forces and prayed for speedy recovery to the wounded”.
Iraqi – Kurdish Peshmerga fighters are part of the large-scale operation for the liberation of Mosul that was launched on October 17. By October 20 the Peshmerga troops had succeeded at capturing 200-400 km2 in Nineveh Governorate previously controlled by ISIS. The operation highlights a number of regional and geopolitical frictions as outlined in a number of recent in-depth reports on Iraq in nsnbc international. (see related articles below)
CH/L – nsnbc 23.10.2016
Related background reports:
Why the KDP-I opts for Armed Struggle against Tehran: Middle East War Spills Over into Iran
The Battle for Mosul turns into Regional War – ISIL allowed to flee to Syria
Iraqi Kurdish Security Chief Calls for Completion of Post-ISIS Deal for Mosul
Middle East War Spills Over Into Iran
Source Article from http://nsnbc.me/2016/10/23/iraqi-peshmerga-general-command-denounced-us-anti-isis-air-strikes-as-insufficient/
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