Latest news with #Unit70
Rudaw Net
4 days ago
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Two explosive drones downed over Sulaimani in day of security breaches
Also in Kurdistan UNAMI condemns 'attack' on Yazidi IDP Camp in Duhok, urges probe Baby born with two faces dies shortly after birth in Erbil Peshmerga unification enters final phase, set for completion by year-end: Advisor Kurdistan parliament to enter summer recess despite political stalemate A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Two explosive-laden drones were intercepted over Sulaimani province on Tuesday, officials confirmed to Rudaw, with one crashing in the province's northwest. Ahmed Latif, spokesperson for Unit 70 of the Kurdistan Region's Peshmerga Forces, told Rudaw that both drones were brought down within Sulaimani's borders. He specified that 'one was intercepted in the Tasluja area,' northwest of Sulaimani city, while the second was downed 'outside the perimeter of Unit 70's forces.' Latif confirmed that neither incident resulted in casualties or material damage. Salam Abdulkhaliq, head of the Sulaimani-based Asayish (security forces) media team, corroborated the report, stating that 'two drones fell in the Tasluja area within Sulaimani's borders' on Tuesday evening. He added that the Kurdish security forces' investigation teams were dispatched to the scene and have launched a probe. Abdulkhaliq also confirmed no casualties were reported. Earlier on Tuesday, a separate drone incident occurred in the Darkar camp, approximately 36 kilometers northwest of Duhok city. The drone, laden with explosives, caused material damage but no injuries, according to the Kurdistan Region's Directorate General of Counter Terrorism (CTD). The Darkar camp shelters Yazidis displaced from the Shingal (Sinjar) district following the Islamic State (ISIS) assault in 2014. 'It is the first time our camp and subdistrict have experienced such an incident,' Jawhar Mohammed, head of the Darkar subdistrict, told Rudaw on Tuesday, adding that the source of the drone remains unknown. 'It is the first time our camp and subdistrict have experienced such an incident,' Jawhar Mohammed, head of the Darkar subdistrict, told Rudaw. He said the drone crashed near the camp's school, igniting a fire that was quickly contained. Civil defense teams from Duhok province's Zakho city reported that three cabins at the camp caught fire as a result of the drone crash. In a separate security incident the same day, Kirkuk Governor Rebwar Taha reported that three Katyusha rockets struck the city overnight. One rocket hit a residential home, while two others landed between the civilian and military zones of Kirkuk International Airport. According to airport administration officials, the rockets struck at around 11:30 pm local time, injuring one airport employee.
Rudaw Net
4 days ago
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Peshmerga unification enters final phase, set for completion by year-end: Advisor
Also in Kurdistan Kurdistan parliament to enter summer recess despite political stalemate Erbil emergency water project enters testing phase Blaze scorches hundreds of dunams in Sulaimani province Explosive drone crashes in Duhok camp housing Yazidis A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The long-awaited unification of the Kurdistan Region's Peshmerga forces has entered its final phase and is expected to be completed by the end of the year, an advisor to the Region's presidency and former chief of staff of Iraq's Army, Babakir Zebari, told Rudaw on Tuesday. Efforts are now focused on forming the last of the 11 planned brigades, with ten already established. 'We are working on force unification and brigade formation,' Zebari said, adding, '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 stressed. This milestone represents a major step toward consolidating all Peshmerga units under the Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs. The effort includes integrating the powerful Unit 70 and Unit 80 forces - affiliated with the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), respectively - into a single chain of command. These two units together comprise the majority of the Peshmerga forces, totaling over 100,000 troops. The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has pursued the unification of its military forces for years, aiming to establish a professional, depoliticized national force free from partisan control. The initiative has received consistent backing from international allies, particularly the United States and the US-led Global Coalition against the Islamic State (ISIS). In January, Abdulkhaliq Babiri, undersecretary of the Peshmerga ministry, told Rudaw that support from the coalition - including logistical, equipment, and financial aid - is ongoing. Washington has pledged to continue its support through 2026. Despite steady international support, the unification process has faced numerous setbacks. Between 2010 and 2013, approximately 42,000 Peshmerga from Unit 70 and Unit 80 were merged, and 14 brigades were formed. However, progress was stalled by internal political tensions and the outbreak of war against ISIS in 2014. A renewed push came in 2018 with the announcement of a 35-point reform plan for unification, developed in collaboration with international partners. More recently, in December, the Peshmerga ministry revealed plans to establish two operations command centers overseeing the 11 brigades. This effort aims to improve command and control, standardize training, and enhance operational effectiveness. Additionally, an initiative to digitize health data for Peshmerga forces, funded by the US-based Spirit of America NGO, was launched in late April, as part of the broader efforts to professionalize and depoliticize the forces.
