- The existence of military bases in Kurdistan Region to train Kurdish refugees fleeing from Syria has been denied by the Kurdistan Regional Government.

The al-Arabiya website reported that Kurds who have fled the violence in Syria and sought refuge in Kurdistan are being trained for military purposes in Erbil.

The report alleged that the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) forces are training the refugees so they can re-enter their country mobilized.

"I am not aware of construction of any military base for the fleeing Kurds of Syria in Kurdistan region," said Mohammed Qaradakhi, secretary for Kurdistan Council of Ministers.

Al-Arabiya's also wrote that some 330 Kurdish youth from Syria participate in military drills in the same base which houses the South Korean unit used during their mission with coalition forces in Iraq.

It was alleged that the number is growing and the drills are performed secretly, as the trainees are not allowed to leave the base.

Nawzad Hadi, Erbil governor and a member of the KDP's Leading Council, also dismissed the article.

"The reports which allege Kurdistan Region has opened a barracks in southern Erbil for the Syrian Kurds are baseless and there is nothing as such," Hadi said.

Kurdistan Peshmarga (border guards) Minister Jaafar Mustafa said he too is not aware of any such bases or drills for Syrian Kurds in Kurdistan.






AKnews