Coalition calls on Peshmerga ministry to continue reforms: official
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The Coalition forces told the Peshmerga ministry that maintaining unity and reform in the ministry is the only way for Coalition support to continue, an official from the ministry told Rudaw on Monday.
Officials of the Kurdistan Region’s Peshmerga ministry on Monday met with delegation from the Coalition forces, during which they discussed the ministry’s ongoing reforms, as well as efforts to unite the brigades of the ministry.
“The Coalition forces told us you need to be united … you need to know that unity protects you and provides you with a stable region,” the ministry’s Chief of Staff Bakhtyar Mohammed told Rudaw. “They told us if unity and reforms in the ministry of Peshmerga do not continue, our assistance will not continue either.”
Although the Peshmerga forces are under the authority of the Peshmerga ministry, the force’s two largest units are divided among the PUK and the KDP.
Unit 70 forces are affiliated with the PUK and Unit 80 forces are controlled by the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), making up the majority of the Peshmerga forces, numbering over 100,000 troops.
The global coalition serves as an advisory role to the ministry, offering training and equipment to the brigades, as well as overlooking the reform process of ministry.
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.
Officials of the Kurdistan Region’s Peshmerga ministry on Monday met with delegation from the Coalition forces, during which they discussed the ministry’s ongoing reforms, as well as efforts to unite the brigades of the ministry.
“The Coalition forces told us you need to be united … you need to know that unity protects you and provides you with a stable region,” the ministry’s Chief of Staff Bakhtyar Mohammed told Rudaw. “They told us if unity and reforms in the ministry of Peshmerga do not continue, our assistance will not continue either.”
Although the Peshmerga forces are under the authority of the Peshmerga ministry, the force’s two largest units are divided among the PUK and the KDP.
Unit 70 forces are affiliated with the PUK and Unit 80 forces are controlled by the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), making up the majority of the Peshmerga forces, numbering over 100,000 troops.
The global coalition serves as an advisory role to the ministry, offering training and equipment to the brigades, as well as overlooking the reform process of ministry.
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.