Security
Kurdistan Regional Government Interior Minister Rebar Ahmed delivered explicit warnings regarding escalating security perils across Iraq, asserting that ISIS currently possesses greater strength than prior to its 2014 territorial sweep, while emphasizing that concluding the Global Coalition's mission stems from political pressure rather than objective operational realities. Addressing attendees at the MERI Forum hosted in Erbil, Ahmed explained that earlier victories and the defeat of terrorism could never have materialized without direct aerial backing and multifaceted support from the US-led international coalition. He noted that the withdrawal of foreign forces was driven by political factions, overlooking the acute necessity of Iraqi defense and military institutions for intelligence cooperation, advanced armament, and vital bilateral security frameworks essential for suppressing terror cells and countering organized crime networks. Touching upon the ideological foundations of terrorism, the minister pointed out that radicalization remains fundamentally driven by ideology. Consequently, fertile ground for its resurgence will persist should governance fail in delivering indispensable public services and fostering equity, fairness, and non-discrimination among all communal components. Transitioning to parallel internal security challenges, the minister cautioned against the expansion of organized crime, warning that narcotics trafficking poses a catastrophic social hazard that might even surpass traditional terrorism in destructive impact. Ahmed concluded by stressing that the uncontrolled proliferation of factional weapons beyond state jurisdiction constitutes an immediate destabilizing threat to national security, urging federal authorities in Baghdad to enforce the rule of law and dismantle rogue armaments, as Iraq's future remains deeply tethered to resolving this lingering dilemma.
