ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Monday hailed the completion of efforts to unify the Region’s Peshmerga forces, describing it as a “historic” achievement and saying the next stage should focus on strengthening the force’s military capabilities.

Kurdistan on Monday celebrated the unification of the Peshmerga in an official ceremony in Erbil, attended by Prime Minister Barzani, President Nechirvan Barzani, Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani, and several top Kurdish and Iraqi officials. 

Prime Minister Barzani hailed the completion of the process to unify the Region’s Peshmerga forces, saying, “We have succeeded today, and all forces have been put under the umbrella of the Peshmerga ministry.”

The Peshmerga forces are the official military of the Kurdistan Region and are constitutionally represented by the Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs.

The unification of the force, which was completed on Tuesday, comes after years of international efforts and pressure on the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), overseen by the US-led international coalition against the Islamic State (ISIS).

However, efforts to bring all Peshmerga units under the ministry’s umbrella have long been complicated by political divisions between forces affiliated with the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK).

Barzani described the occasion as a “historic day for Kurdistan and for the Peshmerga, and is a special day for me” and said he “worked for this from my first day [as premier].” He also stressed the significant role of President Masoud Barzani as a “reference” throughout the process.

Nechirvan Barzani, commander-in-chief of the Peshmerga, thanked partner countries for supporting the Kurdistan Region and Iraq in the fight against ISIS, as well as for their support for the Peshmerga unification efforts.

He also thanked Prime Minister Barzani for his efforts to promote the unification of the Peshmerga forces, saying the premier "exerted all his efforts" to realize the objective.

Peshmerga Minister Shoresh Ismail said during the ceremony that his ministry ”held meetings for hundreds of hours, both within the ministry and with the [US-led] coalition to realize this goal and for the unification of the Peshmerga.”

Prime Minister Barzani said the Peshmerga ”must abide by the decisions of their superiors, according to military hierarchy and ranks under the supervision of the Peshmerga ministry.” He said "defending and preserving national interests" must be the primary motives for the Peshmerga, adding that the force "serves all of Kurdistan's people without discrimination and acts as a factor for regional stability."

Units 70 and 80 make up most of the Kurdish Peshmerga forces, which number more than 150,000 troops. Unit 70 has traditionally been affiliated with the PUK, while Unit 80 has been linked to the KDP.

Linking these formations to the Peshmerga ministry is set to grant the Kurdish forces greater legitimacy.  On Tuesday, the ministry hailed the unification as a “historic achievement,” saying the Region “will now have a unified and modern army, under the direct command of the Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs.” 

The latest development follows a February decree by Prime Minister Barzani bringing the command, budget, and legal accountability of the Region’s Peshmerga forces under the Peshmerga ministry, marking a substantial step toward unifying the force.

In 2022, the KRG and the Pentagon signed a four-year memorandum to support the reform and integration of the Peshmerga forces. The agreement, however, is set to expire by the end of September, coinciding with the withdrawal of the US-led coalition forces per a Washington-Baghdad agreement. 

With the completion of the unification process, the development could potentially pave the way for renewed support. A Washington anti-ISIS bill for 2027 does not entail any allocations for the Peshmerga. 

The unification process has also been completed at a time when the Peshmerga are facing significant pressure, especially from inside Iraq. 

Several pro-Iran Shiite factions within Iraq have argued for the dissolution of the Kurdish force as a precursor to their commitment to laying down arms, amid an ongoing weapons restriction program by Baghdad. 

Earlier in September, prominent Iraqi politician Qais al-Khazali, leader of the Asaib Ahl al-Haq (AAH), claimed that the Peshmerga must be brought under the command of the Iraqi prime minister and commander-in-chief of the armed forces. 

The 2005 Iraqi constitution allows federal regions in the country, such as the Kurdistan Region, to establish and organize internal security forces “such as police, security forces, and guards of the region,” and the Peshmerga fall under the last category.

"Today, the Peshmerga stands as a constitutional force and a great part of Iraq's national defense system," Prime Minister Barzani said during Monday’s ceremony, thanking Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi for strengthening cooperation between the Peshmerga and the Iraqi army.

The Peshmerga also face an external security challenge. The Kurdistan Region has endured more than 1,000 drone and missile attacks since Iran erupted in February, launched by Iran and Iraqi pro-Iran armed groups, including attacks on Peshmerga bases. 

The next stage is “strengthening military capabilities and the provision of advanced weapons and air defenses," Barzani said.