Erbil, Kurdistan (KRG.org) – Following the developments in the city of Mosul due to the Iraqi Security Force’s inability to maintain security in the city, KRG Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani has issued the following statement.

“Unfortunately, due to the failure of the Iraqi Security Forces to protect the people and the city of Mosul, the militant group referred to as the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) controls the city of Mosul. This has caused widespread fear. The people of Mosul fear for their lives because of attacks and the lack of food and services, and they are leaving their city.

“Over the last two days we tried extremely hard to establish cooperation with the Iraqi Security Forces in order to protect the city of Mosul. Tragically, Baghdad adopted a position which has prevented the establishment of this cooperation.

“In order to assist and support the displaced people of the city of Mosul, including all of the city's different ethnic groups – Kurds, Arabs, Turkmen, Chaldeans and Assyrians – I ask the people of the Kurdistan Region to help the displaced people of Mosul in whatever way they can within the framework of legal and security guidelines. I also urge the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) to provide relief and support for the displaced people fleeing the violence in Mosul.

“In the meantime, we reassure the people living in the areas of Kurdistan outside KRG administration that Kurdish Security Forces and Peshmerga are ready, as always, to handle the security situation in these areas.”

– Nechirvan Barzani

Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region

10 June 2014