“Security Sector Reform remains a difficult process that requires long-term investment and endurance to achieve sustainable results. Various factors and circumstances influence the results. The challenging socio-economic situation, the absorption capacity of the Kurdish authorities and geopolitical developments in the region are complicating factors,” Dutch defense ministry spokesperson Alex Kranenburg told Rudaw via email.
Turmoil in the Peshmerga ministry between fronts affiliated to rivals Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) have jeopardized a Western-backed effort to reform the ministry with the hope of bringing all units under its umbrella, as some units are still affiliated to the ruling parties.
Despite saying the unification efforts require a “sustained and long-term” process, Kranenburg affirmed that progress has been made to bring the Peshmerga units under the ministry’s umbrella.
“Progress is being made step by step with regards to the development of specific capabilities,” he said.
Peshmerga Minister Shoresh Ismail from the PUK, submitted his resignation from the position late last year citing constant meddling of political parties in the ministry’s affairs. He is no longer filling the role even though his resignation has not yet been officially accepted by the Council of Ministers.
The failure to appoint a new minister is believed to be related to tensions between the KDP and PUK, after the latter appointed Rebaz Birkoti as a replacement of Ismail but the KDP-controlled Council of Ministers and the parliament refused to greenlight the move.
International partners, particularly the US, have long warned Kurdish authorities that they risk seeing support and funds for the Peshmerga withdrawn if they fail to bring party-affiliated Units 70 and 80 forces under the umbrella of the Peshmerga ministry. Washington’s alarms have intensified in recent months.
Unit 70 forces are affiliated with the PUK and Unit 80 forces are controlled by the KDP, they make up the majority of the Peshmerga forces, numbering over 100,000 troops.
In late August, the Dutch Consul General in Erbil Jaco Beerends told Rudaw that the Peshmerga and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) could lose international support if reform does not occur within the forces.
A month prior, the US State Department said Washington is concerned about intra-Kurdish tensions in the Kurdistan Region and the major impact they have on the pace of Peshmerga reforms.
