Coalition hands more than $1 million worth of weapons, equipment to Peshmerga

Sura Ali

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The Peshmerga recently received more than $1 million worth of weapons and equipment from the international coalition, according to Iraq’s Security Media Cell.

"The equipment will support Iraq in its mission to defeat Islamic State [ISIS] terrorist gangs, and is part of the Training and Equipment Fund Program to Combat ISIS that has been implemented since 2014,” the cell tweeted on Wednesday morning.  

The delivery, on June 14, consisted of several trucks of equipment, mostly guns, Rudaw English understands. The Peshmerga are reportedly due to receive more aid from the US-led coalition in the coming days.

Coalition spokesperson Col. Wayne Marotto confirmed the delivery, saying the Counter ISIS Train and Equip Fund (CTEF) supports the ongoing fight against ISIS.

On Thursday, the international coalition handed over $3 million of weapons and equipment to the Peshmerga forces, state media reported.

In January, the United States Department of Defense gave $12.5 million worth of military aid to Peshmerga forces at Erbil International Airport. Sources from the Peshmerga ministry later told Rudaw that the aid was to go directly to the ministry, and not to party-affiliated brigades.

Peshmerga forces have consistently fought the Islamic State (ISIS) since it took swathes of Iraq and Syria in 2014, and are a key ally for the coalition.

At least 1,700 Peshmerga fighters were killed and around 10,000 injured in the fight against ISIS from 2014 onwards.

ISIS remnants continue to remain active across Iraq, particularly in areas disputed between Erbil and Baghdad.