ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The process of the unification of Peshmerga forces affiliated with the two ruling parties and their annexation to the Peshmerga ministry has been slow but there will be progress in the coming weeks, an official from the ministry said on Sunday.
“The reforms process continues but its speed does not meet our and Kurdistan people’s expectations - I have often said this. However, I can say that within the coming two months some meetings will be held and there will be an understanding that will be materialised, leading to better management of the reforms process,” Lieutenant Colonel Bakhtiar Mohammed, secretary-general of the Peshmerga Ministry, told Rudaw.
“As per the program, two commands will be formed in the Kurdistan Region under the name of Davars [which means “areas” in Kurdish], which will be under the command of the Peshmerga ministry. All Peshmerga forces will be under the Peshmerga ministry. This is our agenda and we hope it is implemented.”
The two military units will be better organized in terms of command structure and logistical support, he said.
For years, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has sought to unify its various military units into a single, professional, and depoliticized national force. This initiative has received strong backing from international partners, especially the US and its allies from the Global Coalition to defeat Islamic State.
Central to the effort is the integration of Unit 70 and Unit 80 - affiliated with the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), respectively - into a unified command structure. Together, these units comprise the bulk of the Peshmerga, totaling over 100,000 troops.
Despite consistent international support, the unification process has faced recurring obstacles.
Between 2010 and 2013, approximately 42,000 fighters from Unit 70 and Unit 80 were merged, resulting in the formation of 14 brigades. However, progress stalled amid internal political disputes and the outbreak of war against ISIS in 2014. In 2018, the process was revived through a 35-point reform plan developed with coalition partners.
The US Consul General in Erbil Gwendolyn Green on Wednesday held a meeting with Kurdish officials at the Kurdistan Region Presidency, where she reiterated the United States' commitment to Peshmerga reforms and reaffirmed Washington’s support for a secure and prosperous Kurdistan Region.
Horvan Rafaat contributed to this article.
