9 hours ago Biden calls Barzani, expresses condolences over Peshmerga killings

Erbil (IraqiNews.com) U.S. Vice President Joe Biden expressed his condolences to Kurdistan regional President Masoud Barzani in a phone call on Friday after the killing of three Peshmerga soldiers by the Islamic State (IS).

Biden praised the Peshmerga on recent successful operations against IS and reiterated his country’s commitment to supporting Kurdish forces.

Barzani thanked Biden for U.S. support and repeated his government’s call for coordination and cooperation in the fight against militants who overran large swaths of Iraq in 2014.The U.S. Consulate General in Erbil echoed Biden’s sentiments in a statement released Saturday. “We extend our deepest condolences to the families of the Peshmerga shown in the disturbing video released last night by [IS], which purportedly shows the barbaric execution of three men,” the statement read. The Consulate General did not verify the authenticity of the video, but acknowledged that the images were in line with previous acts by the group. “We condemn and abhor [IS]’s atrocities and continue to stand in solidarity with the people of Iraq to counter and defeat [IS] and its brutality.  [IS]’s crimes must be fully documented, and individuals responsible for these brutal and senseless acts of violence must be identified and held accountable,” the statement went on to say.

The U.S. has led a coalition to combat the militants since August 2014 and a report from U.S. Central Command on Thursday said the coalition has conducted 2,893 airstrikes in Iraq and Syria since the campaign began on August 8, 2014.