ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - US support to the Peshmerga forces will continue only if reforms within the Kurdish forces are carried out in a “good and systematic way,” Peshmerga minister said on Friday. Shorash Ismail, Peshmerga Affairs Minister, who is heading a Kurdish military delegation to Washington, told reporters late Friday that the US, UK, Germany and Netherlands - which have been the main supporters of Peshmerga forces in the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS) since 2014 - insist that the Peshmerga forces should be united and away from the influence of political parties - which is “the right path” to maintain support from these Western countries. “They have clearly told us that if the reform process does not proceed in a good and systematic way, it will have a bad impact on aid and support from the US which is the main supporter in terms of equipping Peshmerga forces with weapons,” said Ismail, adding that there has been good progress in the reforms which “have made them [US] happy.” The ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) control Peshmerga forces’ 80 and 70 units respectively. Parts of these forces have fallen under the control of the Ministry of Peshmerga in the framework of reforms requested by the Western allies. Deputy Director General of the Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs Colonel Farman Farhad was quoted in a Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) statement on Friday as saying that in coordination with the global coalition against ISIS 20 Peshmerga brigades “have been consolidated under the Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs and it is expected that all forces in Units 70 and 80 will also be unified by 2023.” The US government pays the salaries of over 30,000 members of Peshmerga forces who are the only ones to receive their salaries the bank. Other members of the force receive their salaries directly from the unit they are employed at. Addressing a graduation ceremony of Peshmerga offices in Sulaimani late May, Kurdistan Region President Nehchirvan Barzani, who is the commander-in-chief of all armed forces, said that the influence of both KDP and PUK on Peshmerga forces should be eliminated. “It is true that legally, the Kurdistan Region Presidency has the duty of commander-in-chief to the Peshmerga forces, but in order for reform and for the unification of Peshmerga forces to be implemented, the KDP and PUK need to make a decision with trust and without regrets to eliminate party influence on Peshmerga,” said President Barzani who is also vice president of the KDP.
Kurdistan25-06-2026Erbil says Baghdad deducted, withheld around $37 billion in its budget share in 7 years
Kurdistan25-06-2026Viral Salafi preacher sexual exploitation case to be investigated next week: Minister
