The move comes as part of ongoing reform in the ministry that began in 2018.
A commander from the PUK Unit 70 Forces “expressed readiness to the Ministry of Peshmerga to transfer its second Support Forces to the ministry,” according to a statement posted on Monday by the ministry.
Minister of Peshmerga Shorsh Ismail “welcomed the decision to transfer both the first and second Support Forces of Units 70 and 80,” the statement reported.
US Ambassador to Iraq Matthew Tueller, in a meeting with the Peshmerga minister on Monday, expressed “his happiness at the progress of the reform process and hoped that the steps would be accelerated,” the ministry’s statement recorded.
Mustafa Chawrash, commander of the PUK’s Unit 70, in May said they were ready to coordinate and work as a team.
Since the territorial defeat of the Islamic State (ISIS) in late 2017, international coalition partners have pushed for the unification of Kurdish forces under the Peshmerga ministry as part of a reform program that began in 2018.
The United States has funded and equipped the Peshmerga, but has reportedly told the ministry that funds are not for politically-affiliated forces.
Unit 70 forces are affiliated with the PUK and Unit 80 forces are controlled by the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), they make up the majority of the Peshmerga forces, numbering over 100,000 troops.
The Commander of KDP’s Unit 80, Najat Ali, on Monday told Rudaw two of their brigades have been prepared to be transferred to the ministry.
An official from the coalition on Monday praised the progress made with Peshmerga reforms, saying they were “optimistic” about the progress being made.
The Minister of Peshmerga in an interview aired on June 17 said a united Peshmerga force will be created, but first trust needs to be built between them.
