Kurdistan Region Security Council

Kurdistan Region Security Council

Emblem of the Kurdistan Region Security Council
Formation	May 2, 2011 (2011-May-02)
Parent Authority	Kurdistan Region Presidency
Chancellor	Masrour Barzani

The Kurdistan Region Security Council (Kurdish:ئەنجومەنی ئاسایشی هەرێمی کوردستان) or KRSC is a high-level national security council in Iraqi Kurdistan.

History

It was established on 2 May 2011 pursuant to Law 4 of 2011 passed by the Kurdistan Parliament. The body is responsible for inter alia a unified security policy and coordination between security services, military intelligence and existing intelligence agencies.^[1]

Chancellor Appointment

The council is part of the region's presidency and is headed by a Chancellor appointed by The President of the Kurdistan Region. In July 2012 Masrour Barzani, former head of the Kurdistan Region Security Protection Agency and leading member of the ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party, was appointed as Chancellor by Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani.^[2]

War on ISIL

In wake of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant offensive against the Kurdistan Region in August 2014, KRSC has been coordinating international coalition airstrikes against ISIL positions.^[3] In April and May it announced the arrest of several individuals connected to a car bomb attack near the US Consulate General in Erbil by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant.^[4]

Chlorine Attack

In March 2015, the KRSC announced evidence of a chlorine attack by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant against Peshmerga in Kiske Junction located between Tal Afar and Mosul – both ISIL strongholds.^[5]

Hawija Operation

On 22 October 2015, the Directorate of Counter Terrorism (CTD), part and parcel of the Kurdistan Region Security Council, conducted an operation in Hawija backed by US Special Operations Forces. During the operation, they rescued 69 hostages, killed more than 20 ISIL terrorists and captured 6 others. During the course of the operation, a US service member, Master Sgt. Joshua L. Wheeler, was killed. The Kurdistan Region Security Council says its intelligence indicated the hostages, including Peshmerga officers, were to be executed the following morning as mass graves were prepared nearby. It announced there were no Kurds or Peshmerga among the rescued hostages. US Secretary of Defense Asht Carter called the raid 'life-saving' and expected more similar raids with Kurdish partners.

Carter added Kurdish forces have collected valuable intelligence, including documents and electronics. ^{[6] [7] [8]}

References