SULAIMANI, Kurdistan Region – The US-led anti-ISIS coalition is exerting pressure on the ruling parties, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), to dismantle their respective Peshmerga units, 70 and 80. The forces, which have long been under party control, are to be placed directly under the Ministry of Peshmerga’s command, removing political influence over military operations, sources have confirmed to Zoom News.
In recent meetings involving the coalition, the Peshmerga Ministry, and the commanders of Units 70 and 80, it was decided that these units would be gradually dissolved, and regional commands would be created in their place. This restructuring will divide the Peshmerga forces into two regional commands—Region One and Region Two—each comprising five divisions.
Under the new structure, these regional commands will operate under the direct authority of the Peshmerga Ministry and the coalition, with no political party able to issue orders. This move aims to curtail the PUK and KDP’s control over the Peshmerga forces, ensuring that all operations are directed by the Ministry and coalition forces.
As part of this shift, the Peshmerga forces from both parties will be reorganized into brigades and divisions, which will be commanded by officials holding military ranks above Lieutenant General. This requirement challenges previous efforts by the PUK and KDP to appoint party figures with lower military ranks to senior positions, undermining the party-driven military structure.
Sources also reveal that parts of the PUK’s Unit 70 have already been incorporated into the Ministry of Peshmerga’s Fourth and Second Divisions. This restructuring further ensures that neither the KDP nor the PUK can mobilize forces on party orders, marking a significant move to professionalize and depoliticize the Peshmerga forces in the region.
Hemin Mahmoud
CEO of Zoom News
