The head of the Security Media Cell, Major General Tahseen Al-Khafaji, announced the completion of the process of establishing two joint brigades from the army and the Peshmerga forces. Al-Khafaji said in a statement to the National Iraqi News Agency (NINA) today: 'The establishment of these two brigades came after great cooperation between the federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government, specifically between the Federal Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Peshmerga,' noting: 'The deployment of the units of the two brigades will be in areas with common interest, and the locations of the forces and the guard and inspection points will be determined soon." He explained: 'The forces of these two brigades have begun training, and the disbursement of their salaries has been completed,' pointing out that "the connection between these two brigades will be headed by the Chief of Staff of the Army in the Federal Ministry of Defense." The head of the media cell continued: 'The duty of these two brig ades is to maintain security and stability, especially in areas of security vacuums, to prevent terrorists from being present there, in addition to preventing smuggling in all its forms to preserve the Iraqi economy. Source: National Iraqi News Agency