The Kurdistan Region has reached a major milestone in the decades-long effort to unify the Peshmerga forces under a single professional military structure. On September 10, the Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs announced the completion of the process to unify and reorganize all Peshmerga forces under the Ministry, bringing the former 70 and 80 Forces into a unified command-and-control structure.
The achievement was formally marked on September 21 at a ceremony at the Kurdistan Region Presidency in Erbil attended by His Excellency President Nechirvan Barzani, His Excellency Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, His Excellency Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani, His Excellency Minister of Peshmerga Affairs Shoresh Ismail, senior Peshmerga commanders, Iraqi security officials, and representatives of international partners. The ceremony also marked the inauguration of the First and Second Area Commands, completing the transfer of the forces into the structure of the Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs.
The unification represents the culmination of years of institutional reform aimed at creating a professional Peshmerga force operating under one ministry and one military chain of command. Under the new structure, Peshmerga forces have been reorganized into brigades, divisions, and area commands, with unified systems for operations, training, command and control, communications, and administration.
Speaking at the ceremony, His Excellency President Nechirvan Barzani emphasized the national importance of the achievement, recalling the longstanding goal of establishing “one force, one ministry, and one command.” He stressed that the Peshmerga must remain a professional national institution serving all communities of the Kurdistan Region and operating above partisan divisions.
His Excellency Prime Minister Masrour Barzani likewise described the unification as the beginning of a broader process of strengthening the Peshmerga. He outlined priorities for the next phase, including improving military capabilities, obtaining advanced weapons and air-defense systems, strengthening training and personnel development, and continuing to bring the force in line with international military standards.
Peshmerga reform has been supported for years by the United States and other members of the Global Coalition. In September 2022, the United States and the Kurdistan Regional Government entered into a four-year memorandum of understanding supporting continued reform and professionalization. At the September 21 ceremony, Kurdish leaders thanked the United States and Coalition partners for their role in training, restructuring, and supporting the Peshmerga, as well as for their longstanding partnership during the fight against ISIS.
The Peshmerga hold a unique place in the history of the Kurdistan Region, having defended its people through decades of conflict and played a central role in the international campaign against ISIS. Their unification under the Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs represents an important institutional step toward ensuring that this legacy is carried forward through a modern, professional, and unified force.
With the organizational structure now in place, attention turns to the next stage of reform: strengthening the Peshmerga’s capabilities, deepening coordination with the Iraqi Armed Forces, and maintaining cooperation with the United States and other international partners. As Kurdistan Region leaders emphasized during the ceremony, the completion of unification is not the end of Peshmerga reform, but the beginning of its next chapter.
