Barzani tweeted, "we appreciate and welcome Germany’s parliament decision to extend the armed forces mandate in our country."
“Iraq and the region still need the Coalition’s support to defeat ISIS," Barzani further said in the message.
The mission of the German Federal Army will continue with no more than 500 soldiers, after the German Parliament agreed to extend the deadline to 15 more months.
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas announced that the threat of the Islamic State (ISIS) is not over yet, and its secret organizations continue their terrorist activities in Iraq and Syria. “That is why it is necessary for German forces to continue to play their role in the fight against ISIS.”
The foreign minister attributed the militant group’s recent resurgence to coronavirus pandemic and a slump in counter-terror activities as a result.
“In order to guarantee security in the region and here in Europe, we must do everything we possibly can to prevent a resurgence of IS,” he continued. “We will continue to stand resolutely by [Iraq’s] side in the fight against IS and to support the implementation of the ambitious Iraqi reform agenda.”
Germany is contributing to the mission with airspace radar for early detection of aircraft and missiles.
Between 2014 and 2017, ISIS seized large parts in northern Iraq, but lost it later with the support of the coalition.
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