Iraq says no coordination yet with Coalition over Kurdish forces deployment on Syria borders

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) The Iraqi Defense Ministry has said that no coordination with the U.S.-led Coalition was made over the new Kurdish forces that will be deployed on borders with Syria.

Speaking to the Russian Sputnik agency, the Defense Ministry’s head of media office Maj. Gen. Tahseen al-Khafaji, “so far, there is no coordination between the Coalition and the ministry over this issue.

The ministry, according to Khafaji, “deals with the coalition not with the countries, adding that the coalition “offered Iraq training and aid to eradicate the terrorist groups.” Thus, “the cooperation is with the coalition directly and not with any other force.”

Regarding further aid from NATO, Khafaji said that Iraq is in need for training to boost its capabilities. “The aid from NATO is mulled. Part of the aid is offered by the coalition, which is part of the NATO. We have coordination with both the coalition and the NATO as well as any other country that is part of NATO.

Earlier this week, the coalition said it works on forming a force of 30,000 personnel to protect regions that are under control of the Syrian Democratic Forces, northeast of Syria. The troops will deployed along the borders with Turkey in the north, Iraq in the east as well as along Euphrates River, which separates between SDF and the Syrian army.