President Nechirvan Barzani received Mr. Bruno Antonio, the outgoing Ambassador of Italy to Iraq, in Erbil on Sunday.

Ambassador Antonio thanked the President and the Kurdistan Region for their support during his term in office and expressed hope that relations between Italy and the Kurdistan Region strengthen further.

The Ambassador offered his condolences to the President for the fallen Peshmarga heroes who lost their lives battling ISIS terrorists in Kolju district on Saturday.

The President wished Mr. Antonio success in his new mission and thanked him for his efforts to promote and strengthen Italy’s relations with Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, and appreciated Italy’s support to Kurdistan.

The President reiterated that Saturday’s attack in which a number of Peshmarga forces lost their lives proves that ISIS remains a real danger that necessitates cooperation and coordination among Iraqi army and Peshmarga forces, with support from international coalition, to confront and defeat the terrorist network.

Discussions also covered a range of other issues including developments in the Kurdistan Region and the wider region, efforts to bring about unity among parties in Kurdistan and their common stance in Baghdad.