Erbil, Kurdistan Chronicle — Kurdistan Region President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Nechirvan Barzani announced on Tuesday the formation of two new infantry divisions of Peshmerga forces which include the unified unites of the Kurdish forces. 

The announcement was made at a ceremony attended by foreign diplomats, as well as other senior officials, including the commander of the international coalition against ISIS, General Matthew McFarlane.

The newly formed divisions consist of four brigades, totaling over 20,000 members, and will operate under a unified banner that is removed from political party affiliations. 

In a speech he delivered at the ceremony, President Nechirvan Barzani stressed the importance of consolidating and organizing the Peshmerga forces in a modern structure, and expressed his gratitude to the US and the international coalition for their support in this effort.

The newly appointed Peshmerga divisions will include members of the Arab, Yezidi, and Christian communities, a step towards greater religious and ethnic representation within the force. President Nechirvan Barzani highlighted the need for more facilitation for minorities of the Kurdistan Region to join the armed forces, as the Peshmerga is for all people of the Region regardless of their background.

The unification of the Peshmerga forces has been a priority for the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), and although reasonable steps have been taken towards unification, many brigades remain under the command of political parties. Despite these challenges, the reform program of the 9th cabinet of the KRG has made remarkable progress, unifying the Supporting Forces of 1 and 2, as well as 20 brigades previously under the command of party forces.

Representatives from Germany, one of the key supporters of the Peshmerga reform program, also attended the ceremony. German Consulate General in Erbil tweeted later about the event, calling it an important step for the Peshmerga reform and stating that more steps are needed. 

It also renewed Berlin’s commitment to continuing the support to the Kurdistan Region.