On Thursday, Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Masrour Barzani signed an executive order approving the designation of the administrative, legal, and financial authorities of the regional commanders as part of the effort to reorganize all the Peshmerga forces under the Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs (MoPA).

In a post on Facebook on Thursday, the MoPA said that on February 25, Kurdistan Region President and General Commander of the Peshmerga forces Nechirvan Barzani approved the operational authorities of the regional commanders.

The MoPA said that this decision is considered an important step toward establishing a unified military system within the Peshmerga forces.

“According to this new decision, the regional commanders, within the framework of the MoPA, are granted specified authorities in the areas of operations, administration, finance, legal matters, communications, and relations. Under this step, the regional commanders will formally carry out their responsibilities under the legal guidance of the MoPA,” the MoPA said.

“[Prime Minister] Barzani has continuously supported the Kurdistan Region having one unified Peshmerga force. In this regard, there has been ongoing effort and support, and today’s decision, which was signed, falls within the framework of those efforts,” KRG spokesperson Peshawa Hawramani said on Thursday.

Earlier on Wednesday, Minister of Peshmerga Affairs Shoresh Ismail Abdulla presented a report to the KRG Council of Ministers on the recent steps in implementing reforms in the MoPA.

He also gave an update on a signed joint memorandum by the relevant parties regarding the designation of the characteristics, duties, and powers of the regions.

The Council of Ministers welcomed this step as important and historical in terms of reorganizing all forces within the framework of the MoPA.

At the same time, the KRG Council of Ministers thanked the international partners who assisted and supported the process.

The Netherlands, Italy, France, Germany, the UK, and the United States are part of the Multinational Advisory Group that supports the Peshmerga unification process. 

Peshmerga soldiers are split between political factions, with Unit 70  under the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan and Unit 80 under the Kurdistan Democratic Party, but the goal is to bring all of these Units under the umbrella of the MoPA by 2026. 

This is part of a renewed non-binding memorandum of understanding signed by the U.S. Department of Defense and the MoPA in 2022.