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US-led coalition support for Peshmerga to continue: Peshmerga ministry official
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ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Assistance to the Kurdish Peshmerga from the US-led Global Coalition to Defeat the Islamic State (ISIS) will continue in accordance with existing agreements between Erbil and Washington, a senior official from the Kurdistan Region's Peshmerga Ministry told Rudaw on Sunday. The remarks come amid reports that the United States may be planning to reduce or eliminate support for the Kurdish forces.
Lieutenant Colonel Bakhtiar Mohammed, secretary-general of the Peshmerga Ministry, confirmed that "according to the bilateral memorandum of understanding, the aid will continue until October 2026."
As part of this assistance, the coalition provides an estimated $20 to $25 million in monthly aid to the Peshmerga. However, recent media reports suggest that this support may be significantly reduced or potentially redirected to Iraqi security forces, including the Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS), later this year.
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 United States and its coalition allies.
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. Most recently, in late April, an initiative to digitize health data for Peshmerga forces was launched as part of the broader effort to professionalize the forces. The US-based NGO Spirit of America funded the project.
In July, Babakir Zebari, former chief of staff of Iraq's Army and advisor to the Kurdistan Region's presidency, told Rudaw that Peshmerga unification had entered its final phase and would be completed by the end of the year. 'So far, ten brigades have been formed. We are now on the final one, and the process will be completed this year. All forces will be unified,' he said.
However, on Sunday, Lieutenant Colonel Mohammed acknowledged that 'the unification of all Kurdish Peshmerga forces continues and has not stopped, but it is proceeding slowly.'
He cited several reasons for the delay, including the absence of a 'dedicated budget' for the Kurdish Peshmerga as well as 'problems between Erbil and Baghdad have their own impact.'
Another contributing factor, according to Mohammed, is the delay in forming the KRG's tenth cabinet.
Following parliamentary elections in October, the KDP emerged as the largest party with 39 seats in the 100-member legislature, followed by the PUK with 23 seats. With no party holding a majority, coalition negotiations between the two ruling parties have continued for months.
Another reason for the slow progress, according to Mohammed, is the delay in forming the KRG's tenth cabinet.
Preeminent Kurdish leader and KDP head Masoud Barzani on Monday revealed that a 'better level of understanding' had been reached between the PUK and the KDP regarding the formation of the new cabinet, which he said would be completed ahead of Iraq's legislative elections in November.
