ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Former US Secretary of State John Kerry penned a farewell letter to Kurdish President Masoud Barzani in which he expressed confidence in the future of the Kurdish-US partnership, said Barzani and the Kurdish people’s support for ethnic and religious diversity is a strength, and commended the brave performances and sacrifices of Peshmerga forces in the ongoing fight to defeat Daesh.
“You have been a strong ally and a stalwart friend through these difficult years,” read the letter, addressed to ‘His Excellency Masoud Barzani, President of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region.'
The letter was dated Jan. 19, however, Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) officials tweeted it out publicly on Sunday night.
“Your Peshmerga forces have performed bravely, and I honor their sacrifices and those of the people of the Kurdistan Region in the ongoing fight to defeat Da’esh,” Kerry wrote, using an Arabic acronym for ISIS.
According to the Ministry of Peshmerga’s figures, 1,700 Peshmerga have been killed in the fight against ISIS and nearly 10,000 have been injured as of early February.
“The total number of killed since mid-2014 in our frontlines fighting ISIS is 1,700,” the ministry’s health department stated to Rudaw English via email. “The total number of injured Peshmegra that got injured fighting ISIS since mid-2014 is 9,750.”
“The total number of killed since mid-2014 in our frontlines fighting ISIS is 1,700,” the ministry’s health department stated to Rudaw English via email. “The total number of injured Peshmegra that got injured fighting ISIS since mid-2014 is 9,750.”
Amid ISIS gains in Iraq in June 2014, Kerry visited Erbil and met with President Barzani. Kerry urged President Barzani to support Iraqi unity.
“I am going to bring up the elephant in the room. This moment requires great statesmanship," Kerry said.
In August 2016, Kerry met in Baghdad with Kurdish Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani and his deputy Qubad Talabani along with other high-level government ministers.
At the time, Iraqi’s Kurdish culture minister Firyad Rawanduzi, who had knowledge of the contents of the meetings, said the Kurdish delegation had promised Kerry that they would participate in the final battle for Mosul on the condition that they would have a role in the war planning and a share in all financial and military support sent to Baghdad. In return, Rawanduzi said, Kerry pledged that the Kurds would get 17 percent of all aid and support supplied to Baghdad.
Kerry served as the head of the State Department for four years, and as is customary, was replaced in the new US President Donald Trump’s administration by Rex Tillerson.
“I value the strong bond between the Kurdish people and the United States, and am confident we will remain steadfast partners,” Kerry’s letter to President Barzani stated. “I wish you a peaceful, prosperous future and all the best in your future endeavors.”
Kerry stated that Kurdistan’s support for ethnic and religious diversity will benefit the region in the future.
“I commend you and the people of the Kurdistan region for embracing almost two million Syrian refugees and displaced people from across Iraq, in the wake of Da’esh atrocities," Kerry wrote. "Your support for ethnic and religious diversity is a strength that will contribute to the future prosperity of the Kurdistan Region."
According to statistics from the Iraqi Migration Ministry, 98 percent of Syrian refugees in Iraq are in the Kurdistan Region.
Rudaw has reported on the hundreds of thousands of displaced people of the Christian, Shabak, Kakai, and Yezidi communities — in addition to the Arab majority — who have sought shelter in the Kurdistan Region since ISIS began its atrocities in 2014.
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