Erbil, Kurdistan Region of Iraq, (Krp.org)- President Masoud Barzani welcomed the newly appointed Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Joseph Dunford. The meeting was attended by a number of United States Department of Defense officials as well as military and security officials of the Kurdistan Region including Mr. Masrour Barzani, the Chancellor of the Kurdistan Region Security Council. President Barzani began the meeting by wishing General Dunford success in his new and challenging endeavour during this very difficult period. President Barzani and General Dunford spoke of a number of crucial topics on the current war against the terrorists of the Islamic State including the upcoming operations against the terrorists.

General Dunford expressed his admiration for the bravery of the Peshmerga forces and added that the role of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq is of immense importance to the United States in the war against the terrorists of the Islamic State. Furthermore, he stated that this ongoing conflict with the terrorists is among his top priorities and it is a challenge which ought to be overcome.

President Barzani described the war against the terrorists as a "sacred war" as it is a war against the most brutal enemy which does not possess so much as a shred of human conscience and decency. He stated that despite the inevitability of victory, this war is a great challenge for the Kurdistan Region, Iraq and the international community as a whole.

General Dunford also expressed his appreciation for the coordination between the United States military and the Kurdish Peshmerga forces and vowed that the support from the United States for the Kurdistan Region will continue and that the partnership between the two can only be strengthened with the ultimate aim of complete annihilation of the terrorists of the Islamic State.

President Barzani took the opportunity to reiterate his gratitude on behalf of the people of the Kurdistan Region for the support of the international allies led by the United States in the war against the terrorists.