ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Prime Minister-Designate of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), Masrour Barzani, who is also the incumbent Chancellor of the Kurdistan Region Security Council (KRSC), met on Monday with a high-level military delegation led by US Maj. Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, Deputy Commander of the Global Coalition against the Islamic State, formally known as Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve(CJTF-OIR.)

Cooperation among the three relevant military forces—Kurdish, Iraqi, and Coalition—topped the discussions in Erbil between Barzani and Grynkewich.

Both sides exchanged views on recent security developments in the area, above all the campaign against the so-called Islamic State.

Despite the territorial defeat of the terrorist organization, it remains a threat, and it is actually re-emerging in some areas, particularly in the disputed territories.

The two men emphasized the importance of “close coordination between Peshmerga Forces, Iraqi Security Forces, and the Global Coalition,” as a statement released by the KRSC explained.

Grynkewich extended his congratulations to Barzani for his designation as Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region and wished him success in the formation of his new cabinet.

The meeting concluded with both sides agreeing that close coordination is critical to preserve the progress that has been made in the fight against the Islamic State and to prevent the resurgence of the terrorist group.

There are about 240,000 Peshmerga fighters in the Kurdistan Region.

Over 2,000 Peshmerga have been killed fighting the so-called Islamic State, with another 12,000 wounded, according to the Peshmerga Ministry. Since 2014, CJTF-OIR has trained thousands of Peshmerga fighters, and that training continues.

Editing by Laurie Mylroie