Nechervan Barzani: ISIS recruits have increased, comprehensive military strategy needed

The international strategy against the Islamic State (ISIL) has so far been to contain the group and a more comprehensive strategy is needed in order to destroy it on the ground, Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani told CNN on Tuesday

.12-01-2016

“What we see now is that the policy is not really to destroy ISIL, it is about containing ISIL,” Barzani told CNN’s Christian Amanpour. “To contain we have done it so far with help from the coalition, especially the United States and we are grateful for the help of other coalition members.”

“If we want to destroy ISIL we have to come up with a comprehensive strategy and a military strategy at the same time,” he said, adding that the group’s members have increased in the last year. “Last year they recruited 15,000 and now according to our information the number is 35,000. So ISIL numbers have increased. This organization is dangerous not only to the KRG but to all international communities.”

The Kurdish prime minister said that the Peshmerga forces have pushed back ISIS from all territories of the autonomous region and in some areas they are offering the Iraqis a helping hand.

“As a result of help from the international coalition especially the United States we have been able to push them (ISIS) back,” PM Barzani said. “Now we have regained all the Kurdish territory and there are areas in which we are not interested but we are doing on behalf of the Iraqi army like the Mosul dam.”

Barzani confirmed recent reports that the Mosul dam was vulnerable and in a deteriorating state which could pose a serious threat to Iraq and Mosul city in particular.

“If something happens to the Mosul dam it will be a disaster for Mosul and all of Iraq as well,” he warned. “Now the Mosul dam is being controlled by our Peshmerga forces. We are controlling the dam and we have been told from the Iraqi side that a company will come to renovate the dam and we hope that by that time the work will start and nothing happens there.”

The prime minister said the Kurdish region has so far succeeded against ISIS but that it needed more military and financial support to destroy the group.

“To destroy ISIL on the ground we need more help, more military assistance from the international community especially the Europeans and Americans. So we need more weapons and assistance. Our financial situation in all of Iraq and Kurdistan is very bad and we need financial support and military support.”

Barzani hailed the liberation of Ramadi by Iraqi troops as a big success, but he doubted they were ready to take the fight to Mosul.

“I don’t it is going to be that easy,” he said of a future battle for Mosul. “It is a difficult city.”

The prime minister pointed out Mosul as an important ISIS stronghold which would make the task of the Iraqi army ever more difficult.

“What happened in Ramadi was a very big success for the Iraqi army but the situation in Mosul is very difficult. He (Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi) announced his caliphate inside Mosul and for them it is very important.”

“In my view I don’t think the Iraqi army will be ready until six months from now,” Barzani added.

http://edition.cnn.com/videos/world/2016/01/12/iraq-intv-amanpout-nechirvan-barzani.cnn/video/playlists/amanpour/