ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Thursday signed a decree bringing regional Peshmerga forces’ command, budget, and legal accountability under the Peshmerga ministry, marking a significant step towards unifying the force that has long been divided on political lines.

“Within the framework of reform efforts in the Kurdistan Peshmerga forces — which has been part of the agenda of the ninth cabinet — Prime Minister Masrour Barzani signed the authority (administrative, financial, legal, and communications) of the regional commands of the Ministry of Peshmerga,” Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) spokesperson Peshawa Hawramani said in a statement.

The decision will now bring the forces under one institution with shared command, budget, and legal accountability. 

The premier “has continuously supported the Kurdistan Region having one unified Peshmerga force. In this regard, there has been ongoing effort and support,” he added.

The Peshmerga have long been divided by varying units' political affiliations, resulting in international pressure to bringing the Kurdish fighting units under a central command.

Bakhtiyar Mohammed, secretary-general of the Peshmerga ministry, told The New Region in mid-February that “there is very good understanding and progress from all sides regarding the unification of Peshmerga forces, and all efforts are directed toward completing the Peshmerga forces unification process by March 1 of this year.”

The process, overseen by the global coalition against the Islamic State (ISIS), is set to incorporate Unit 80 forces, controlled by the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), and Unit 70 forces, affiliated with the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), into the Peshmerga ministry as two brigades.

The two formations make up the majority of Kurdish Peshmerga forces, numbering over 150,000 troops.

One of the key objectives of the KRG's ninth cabinet has been the Peshmerga reform process, with a number of brigades controlled by the two parties already incorporated into the ministry.