Oct 10, 2018 · Yet female Peshmerga fighters in Iraq now fear that trends may be shifting in the opposite direction. In a number of interviews conducted by the author at a Peshmerga base during March and April 2018, female Peshmerga fighters expressed concerns as to whether they will retain their freedom after the fight against IS concludes.

Jul 24, 2014 · Another 30,000 peshmerga now serve in the KRG Ministry of Interior's Zerevany, a gendarmerie-type paramilitary police force. And at least another 70,000 peshmerga are still gathered in traditional smaller units controlled directly by the KDP and PUK party politburos. Espirit de corps and rapid mobilization are the peshmerga's key strengths.

Jul 28, 2016 · This was important because Kurdish leaders have often complained that the U.S. has shown a preference for arming and equipping the federal government's Iraqi army rather than the Peshmerga. According to officials that I talked to on both sides of the deal, the agreement will also release new U.S. aid to the Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs.

Aug 7, 2014 · The peshmerga's stumbles in Ninawa and Diyala have hurt Kurdish military pride, prompting recriminations between KDP and PUK supporters. Worse yet, the setbacks were apparently caused in part by poor coordination between some KDP and PUK units, even when those units were mixed together in purportedly unified Regional Guard Brigades.

Jan 27, 2025 · The PYD’s military wing, the People’s Protection Units (YPG) was also hesitant to share power with the KNC-linked 6,000 to 7,000 Rojava Peshmerga, established with the support of the KDP in 2012. Turkey also held talks in 2013 with the PYD to reduce tensions concurrent to its peace talks with the PKK—with both efforts subsequently apart.

Aug 30, 2024 · The rise in arrests is partly to increased Baghdad-Erbil coordination—namely in response to two major bloody attacks in late 2021 against the Peshmerga forces in Erbil and Sulaymaniyah. On November 27, 2021, ISIS attacked the 5 th Brigade of the Peshmerga Forces in Gulajo, Diyala, killing and wounding nine Peshmergas.

Aug 25, 2021 · The rift may even cause armed conflict between PUK-affiliated security, intelligence, and Peshmerga forces with loyalties to the opposing sides. Furthermore, t he current crisis may raise doubts among PUK party members regarding the Talabani-led leadership system. Party members may vie to replace the Talabanis as PUK co-leaders, or may leave ...

Jul 5, 2017 · Peshmerga forces recaptured territory in Sinjar with cooperation from the PKK in mid-November 2014. Since then, the PKK has refused to withdraw from the city in compliance with the demands of the KRG, which likewise refuses to hand it over to any other authority, and plans to make it a governorate of the Kurdistan Region.

Oct 21, 2024 · Historically, the Kurdish Peshmerga forces have been closely aligned with political parties, and international and domestic observers should watch closely for any signs of interference. Kurdistan’s elections will also ripple across Iraq, a country still struggling with its own political divisions.

Jul 11, 2019 · Peshmerga unity is a longstanding public demand, especially since divisions within the security forces exacerbated the losses that followed the referendum. Barzani has foreign support on this issue as well, given the mounting international pressure on Iraq to rein in militias.