Barzani: We have good coordination with the federal government to confront any threat

According to KurdPress, today, Wednesday, September 30, 2026, at the same time as the official end of the mission of the international coalition forces in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, Massoud Barzani commented in a statement on the withdrawal of coalition forces from Iraq and its consequences.Barzani, referring to the agreement between the Iraqi federal government and the international coalition forces, said that today is the last day of the coalition forces' mission in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, and that these forces have played a role in combating terrorism, restoring stability, and strengthening the capabilities of the Iraqi and Peshmerga forces over the past years.

He expressed his gratitude to the coalition forces and the sacrifices they made during the fight against ISIS, and emphasized that after the end of the coalition mission, it is the responsibility of the Iraqi government and the Kurdistan Region to establish bilateral agreements with the coalition member countries to continue security cooperation, in accordance with the circumstances and with the aim of maintaining stability.Barzani confident of coordination between Erbil and Baghdad

In another part of his statement, the head of the Kurdistan Democratic Party addressed concerns about the future of the Kurdistan Region after the withdrawal of American forces, saying that some people, out of concern and some based on misconceptions, think that the Kurdistan Region will be under threat with the withdrawal of coalition forces.

Barzani said in this regard: "There is very good coordination with the Iraqi federal government to confront any kind of threat and danger; whether this threat is called ISIS or any other name."

He also emphasized that any party that thinks it can threaten or harm the stability of the Kurdistan Region should know that the Peshmerga forces are ready to defend the people and territory of the region.Barzani considered the Peshmerga forces to be part of the region's defense structure and said that these forces are ready to defend, maintain the stability of the country and confront security threats in full coordination with the Iraqi federal government forces.

The withdrawal of the coalition and the new stage of security relations

Barzani's statements come at a time when the Kurdistan Region's Peshmerga Ministry, while appreciating the support of the United States and the coalition, expressed concern about the withdrawal of American forces in the unstable security conditions of the region two days ago.

The Peshmerga Ministry had announced that the US withdrawal without creating an alternative defense system is a cause for concern, especially in a situation where the region has faced more than a thousand drone and missile attacks in recent months. The ministry also emphasized that the region's airspace is part of Iraq's airspace and the responsibility for protecting it lies with the federal government.According to the plan announced between Baghdad and Washington, the deadline for the end of the international coalition's military mission in Iraq was set at September 30, 2026, after which security relations between Baghdad and Washington will enter a phase of bilateral cooperation.

In this context, Massoud Barzani has emphasized that the end of the coalition's military mission does not mean the end of security cooperation, and the Iraqi government and the Kurdistan Region can continue bilateral cooperation with coalition member countries to maintain stability and confront potential threats.

Background:

The withdrawal of American and coalition forces from Iraq after more than a decade of operations against ISIS has marked a new stage in the country's security structure. The last American forces left Iraq today, and the Erbil base was among the last points of withdrawal of American forces.At the same time, there has been debate among officials and experts about the ability of Iraqi forces and the Peshmerga to maintain security after the withdrawal of foreign forces.