Ministry of Peshmerga: The withdrawal of US forces at this time is a cause for concern.
Ministry of Peshmerga: The withdrawal of US forces at this time is a cause for concern.
2026-09-28
Shafaq News – Erbil
The Ministry of Peshmerga in the Kurdistan Region confirmed on Monday that the withdrawal of US forces from Iraqi territory, including the Kurdistan Region, on September 30, comes at a “sensitive time,” noting that the security situation in Iraq and the Middle East is unstable, and that the withdrawal without providing a defense system for the Kurdistan Region is “worrying.”
The ministry said in a statement, received by Shafaq News Agency, that the withdrawal comes as a result of the joint understanding between the Iraqi federal government and the United States and its allies, indicating that the current security conditions require more vigilance and the adoption of sound political decisions, because the continuation of the state of instability in the region poses a threat to the entire region.
She noted that during the war between the United States and Iran in recent months, the Kurdistan Region was subjected to more than a thousand drone and ballistic missile attacks, some of which fell in civilian areas, resulting, according to the statement, in the death and injury of a number of people, as well as material damage.
The ministry considered that “leaving the Kurdistan Region by the United States in such a complex regional situation, without providing any defense system, is worrying,” while stressing that the region’s airspace, as part of the federal government’s airspace, falls within the priorities and responsibilities of the federal government, which must bear the responsibility of protecting Kurdistan’s airspace when needed.
The Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs affirmed that its forces, which “have been the protectors of the land and people of Kurdistan,” are prepared for any eventuality or new development, and are capable of adapting to any undesirable circumstances and confronting dangers.
The ministry expressed its gratitude to the United States and its allies, appreciating their cooperation and support over the past years to the Kurdistan Region and the Peshmerga forces.
She emphasized that the Ministry of Peshmerga, as part of the Iraqi defense system, has a strong constitutional and security relationship with the Iraqi army, and will continue to work and coordinate with it.
In closing, the ministry reassured the people of Kurdistan that “Kurdistan is in safe and peace-loving hands.”
shafaq.com
