SULAIMANI, Kurdistan Region — Private Security companies are on the rise in the Kurdistan Region, with the number of foreign businesses steadily growing over the past decade.
“More than 50 security companies currently operate in Kurdistan, with over 1,000 trained employees,” said Huner Khoshnaw, who runs a private security firm in Sulaimani.
“As early as in 2003, we had genuine plans to launch a security company,” Khoshnaw said. “But authorities didn’t allow us because they said it was banned under the Iraqi laws.”
Finally in 2007, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) granted Khoshnaw the right to launch his first company, which in the beginning only provided US troops in Iraq with basic logistics.
As the war in Iraq began unfolding in 2003, the US military hired private security personnel to protect its staff in the war-torn country, many of whom were killed or wounded in direct action.
But Khoshnaw said that conditions in Kurdistan are different. So much so that even many women have applied to work with his company, because of the secure environment in Kurdistan.
Security companies do not offer personnel to private people with family feuds. Nor can politicians or public figures benefit from their services.
“Basically, we provide oil and foreign companies with security recruits. But also the shopping malls and sometimes even hotels have used our services,” Khoshnaw explained.
His company is authorized by the KRG interior ministry and follows their regulations and procedures, he said.
English language is a prerequisite, as most of the clients are foreign businesses. And you have to be over 20 years old to be hired.
“One key condition is that you have to be a Kurd and live in the Kurdistan Region. No other nationalities other than Kurds are hired, because in many cases the security personnel will have the right to bear arms. The applicant should not have a criminal record and must have the recommendations of the KRG’s security agency (Asayish).”
Khoshnaw said many of their aspirants are former expatriate Kurds who have returned to Kurdistan in search of a better life.
“We usually offer our new staff special training courses if they choose to work as armed security personnel. Some of them wish to work within the civil service. Those who are above 21 years of age will be able to bear arms only after being trained by American professionals.”
An average salary of $700 is on offer, but those with more experience can usually count on better earnings.
Khoshnaw, who has plans to expand his business, is confident that his company could provide services even beyond the Kurdistan Region.
“We could provide the whole of Iraq with our dedicated staff if needed,” he explained.
