The 15 Peshmerga who recently went to Germany for two weeks of training on how to protect against possible chemical attacks have successfully completed their course.

In early January, the Ministry of Peshmerga sent 15 fighters from its Chemical Warfare Protection Unit to receive training in Germany’s Sonthofen Chemical Warfare Protection Training Center on how to defend against chemical attacks.  

They have now completed the course, Major Islam Chali told Rudaw.

“Our chemical warfare protection forces are training in two places now – 15 Peshmerga are training in Germany, 76 more in a Sulaimani center which was opened by the Iraqi army’s experts on this type of warfare.”

In fighting ISIS along a frontline of several hundred kilometres, Kurdish forces have come under chemical attack in the past two years.

Around 14 Peshmerga suffered severe wounds and burns when they were attacked with chemical laden bombs last May, said Sirwan Barzani, Commander of the Gwer-Makhmour front.

Photos courtesy of Maj. Islam Chali