Barzani: All Peshmerga forces now under Peshmerga Ministry, modernization next

Rastinews — Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Mesrur Barzani announced at an official unification ceremony in Erbil that all Peshmerga units have been brought under the Peshmerga Ministry. The ceremony was held under the patronage of Kurdistan Region President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Nechirvan Barzani.

Barzani said the forces are now organized under a single military structure covering operations, training, command and control, communications and accounting. The Peshmerga Ministry had announced on September 21 that no Peshmerga force remained outside the ministry.

"We take pride in having kept this promise"

Barzani said the merger has been a core goal of the ninth cabinet since its first day in office. "Today we take pride in having kept this promise," he said, adding that the process was carried out over the past four years under the guidance of Masoud Barzani, with the support of Nechirvan Barzani and the contribution of the United States and International Coalition forces.

Barzani called the day "historic" for both Kurdistan and the Peshmerga, and said it held special significance for him personally.

"This is the first step of a long process"

Barzani stressed that institutional unification is only the start of the reform process. "As important as this merger is, the next phase is even more important," he said, adding that the next goals are to build up Peshmerga capacity, strengthen human resources, modernize logistics infrastructure and bring training up to international military standards.

Barzani said the aim is to build a professional, organized and unified force capable of defending the Kurdistan Region.

"A force above party interests"

Barzani said political and party affiliation is an individual right, but in military service loyalty to Kurdistan must come first. He said Peshmerga members must follow orders issued through the Peshmerga Ministry's chain of command.

"We want the Peshmerga to be an independent, national Kurdistani force, standing entirely above personal and partisan interests, never used in internal disputes or party conflicts," Barzani said, adding that the force's core duty is to protect the people and territory of Kurdistan without discrimination.

Message to Baghdad on salaries and financial rights

Barzani noted that under the constitution, the Peshmerga is part of Iraq's defense system. He told Iraqi Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief of the Iraqi Armed Forces Ali Zeydi that Kurdistan is ready to deepen cooperation between the Peshmerga and the Iraqi army.

Barzani called on the federal government to treat Peshmerga salaries and financial rights the same as those of Iraqi army personnel. "Under the constitution, the Peshmerga is part of Iraq's defense system, and its constitutional and financial rights must be guaranteed within that framework," he said.

"One force, one ministry, one command"

Speaking at the ceremony, Nechirvan Barzani said the process was not simply a transfer of units from one structure to another. Calling it "a national step in building the institutions of the Kurdistan Region," he said: "For years we have said Kurdistan needs one force, one ministry and one command."

Nechirvan Barzani said the principle of unity must now be visible in every area, including command, orders, training, personnel rights, promotions and discipline.

Peshmerga Minister Shoresh Ismail said the new structure organizes forces into 11 divisions, two support forces, one commando unit and two regional commands. Ismail said the process faced significant obstacles due to long-unresolved problems as well as political and security complications.

Ismail was also reported to have called for a new government to be formed quickly so the ministry can hand over its forces to the tenth cabinet, and for parliament to be activated to secure Peshmerga rights.

KDP's 80th and PUK's 70th units become regional commands

Under the new structure, the KDP-affiliated 80th Unit and the PUK-affiliated 70th Unit have been placed under the Peshmerga Ministry as Region 1 and Region 2 Commands. Peshmerga Ministry Secretary-General Major General Bahtiyar Mohammed had said these units would no longer be affiliated with any political party and would answer only to the ministry.

A few days before the ceremony, Kurdistan Region Presidency spokesperson Dilshad Shahab had said that after September 21, no Peshmerga force would remain outside the ministry.

Process began in 2016

The reform process to unify the Peshmerga began in 2016. Nechirvan Barzani recalled that changes to the Peshmerga Ministry started at the time on the initiative of Masoud Barzani. The process, backed by the Coalition, involved reorganizing command and control, restructuring units, and reviewing personnel and payroll records.

A memorandum of understanding signed between the US Department of Defense and the Peshmerga Ministry in September 2022 aimed to unify the forces and provide them with support. According to the ministry, this memorandum also shaped the timing of the ceremony.

Nechirvan Barzani and Mesrur Barzani signed decrees in February 2026 approving the operational, administrative, legal and financial authority of the regional commands. The ministry later announced that the process had accelerated.

Peshmerga Minister Shoresh Ismail had announced on September 10 that Peshmerga forces had been fully unified.

Peshmerga salaries have for years been caught up in financial disputes between Erbil and Baghdad. In September 2025, the Kurdistan Regional Government also called on the federal government to equalize Peshmerga salaries and financial rights with those of the Iraqi army.

Following the 2024 elections in the Kurdistan Region, the tenth cabinet has not yet been formed and parliament has not been activated. Talks between the KDP and the PUK are ongoing.