Kurdistan
President Nechirvan Barzani delivering a speech at Zakho Military College. Photo: Bilind T. Abdullah/Rudaw
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani, on Thursday, reassured allies and partners that there is a strong will to unify the Peshmerga forces, adding that progress has been slow, but there is an effort to make the Peshmerga forces a national army.
Barzani attended the graduation ceremony of 792 Peshmerga officers in Zakho’s Military College, during which he delivered a speech calling for unifying the Peshmerga forces under the control of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).
“Step by step, we will resolve all problems and obstacles,” Barzani said, “We will reach the end of this process. We are committed to having a unified Peshmerga army. A national army under the command and control of the Kurdistan Regional Government and the Ministry of Peshmerga [Affairs].”
While delivering a speech to the graduating class, President Barzani pointed out that there were 50 women and one Yazidi graduate, stating, “It is a source of pride, and I look forward to seeing more in future classes.”
The president also said that Peshmerga is part of the Iraqi defense system, “therefore expect Iraq to fulfill its legal obligations to support and arm the Peshmerga,” Barzani added, “Peshmarga is not a threat; Peshmarga is a defender of Iraq, Kurdistan, and humanity.”
Although the Peshmerga forces are under the authority of the Peshmerga ministry, the force’s two largest units are divided among the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and Kurdistan’s Democratic Party (KDP).
Unit 70 forces are affiliated with the PUK and Unit 80 forces are controlled by the KDP, making up the majority of the Peshmerga forces, amounting to over 100,000 troops.
Over the past few years, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has put the unification of the Peshmerga forces on its agenda, and while reasonable steps have been taken towards unification and a number of brigades controlled by the PUK and the KDP have been added to the ministry, many remain to do so.
While delivering a speech for Zakho Military College’s 2022 graduating class, President Barzani called for the end of party influence on the Peshmerga forces.
“The people of Kurdistan are asking for a unified Peshmerga force,” Barzani said at the time, adding that the Peshmerga was initially founded to protect the people, not to serve political parties’ interests.
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