KRG Minister Announces Complete Unification of All Peshmerga Forces
At a Glance
- Peshmerga Minister announced the complete unification of all Peshmerga forces under the ministry.
- The 70 and 80 Forces are now integrated into a single brigade, division, and regional command structure.
- Two newly established military regional commands have officially assumed their duties.
- The breakthrough was secured via support from Kurdistan's executive leadership and the U.S.-led Coalition.
- The ministry called on international partners for continued, distinct military assistance in the next phase.
Shoresh Ismail, Minister of Peshmerga of the Kurdistan Regional Government, announced a "historic milestone", confirming the successful completion of the complete unification and reorganization of all Peshmerga forces under the direct command of the ministry.
Key Statement and Focus Area
- The Minister of Peshmerga stated that, “Today, with great pride, we announce a historic piece of news and a monumental achievement that has been a long-standing dream of our people: the process of the complete unification and reorganization of the Peshmerga forces under the umbrella of the Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs has been successfully completed.”
- The minister emphasized that, “This is a historic milestone, ensuring that the Kurdistan Region now possesses a unified and modern army under the direct command of the Ministry of Peshmerga.”
Minister Shoresh Ismail said in a statement on Thursday that following years of struggle, continuous efforts, and working as a single team within the Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs, alongside the commands of the 70 and 80 Forces, who cooperated and paved the way, we managed to overcome all accumulated obstacles and challenges.
He noted that the Ministry of Peshmerga dedicated all its capabilities to ensuring the success of the national initiative, culminating in a supreme outcome where the 70 and 80 Forces were unified “through a precise, military, and well-planned process.”
“Within the framework of this radical reform, all forces have been reorganized under a unified command and control system (consisting of brigades, divisions, and regional commands),” he added.
Ismail stated that both military regional commands are officially assuming their duties, marking a historic milestone “ensuring that the Kurdistan Region now possesses a unified and modern army under the direct command of the Ministry of Peshmerga.”
He highlighted that the achievement resulted from the continuous support of the Kurdistan Region's president, prime minister, and deputy prime minister, alongside the prominent role of the U.S.-led international coalition within the framework of their mutual memorandum of understanding.
“We express our boundless appreciation for their assistance and call upon them to continue supporting the unified Kurdistan Peshmerga forces in a distinct manner during the next phase,” he stressed.
FYI
This milestone directly fulfills a landmark 2022 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the U.S. Department of Defense, which set a strict September 2026 deadline to centralize all Kurdish troops under one apolitical chain of command.
For decades, the Kurdistan Region's security apparatus was fractured between the Unit 70 Forces controlled by the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and the Unit 80 Forces under the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP).
Moving beyond these divisions, the Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs has now successfully integrated these troops into 11 joint military divisions overseen by a standardized command and control system.
Operationally, the newly activated Region One and Region Two military commands will split responsibilities geographically along the Great Zab River to manage local defense logistics.
This sweeping institutional reform was accelerated by intensive diplomatic pressure and targeted financial backing from Western allies, including the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany.
The structural transition is highly critical as the U.S.-led international coalition prepares to formally wind down its military mission in Iraq on September 30, 2026.
By achieving complete unification today, Erbil establishes a modernized, unified army capable of independently mitigating potential security vacuums and countering persistent ISIS threats.
Dive Deeper: Handpicked Stories for You
Follow Channel8 for continuous updates:
Germany Notifies Peshmerga of Mission Conclusion
Iraq and Peshmerga Forces Hold Joint Security Meeting
Peshmerga Official Says Coalition Aid Will Continue Post-September 30
2 hours ago