On Monday, Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Masrour Barzani announced the completion of the process to unify and reorganize the Peshmerga forces under the Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs (MoPA).

Read More: KRG Says Peshmerga Unification Process Completed

He described the move as a historic milestone and the fulfillment of a long-standing Kurdish aspiration, creating a unified force with a modern structure covering operations, training, command and control, media, and financial affairs.

“We fulfilled the pledge we made on our first day and succeeded in unifying the Peshmerga forces under one national umbrella,” Prime Minister Barzani said.

The announcement was made during a ceremony at the Kurdistan Region Presidency headquarters in Erbil, attended by Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani, Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani, senior Iraqi and Kurdish officials, and military leaders.

Prime Minister Barzani said the achievement followed four years of work under a 2022 memorandum of understanding between the U.S. Department of Defense and the KRG MoPA, which called for the Peshmerga forces to be unified under one banner.

He added that the process was overseen by President Masoud Barzani and supported by Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani and international partners, particularly the United States and the coalition.

The Peshmerga reform project was also supported by the UK, Italy, Germany, France, and the Netherlands.

The official account of the Netherlands Consulate General congratulated the Kurdistan Region and the MoPA on the historic achievement.

“A unified, professional, and non-partisan force protects all people in the Kurdistan Region and wider Iraq,” the consulate said. “The Netherlands is proud to have supported this crucial milestone.”

Prime Minister Barzani stressed that unification was “the first stage of a long process,” with the next phase focused on developing the Peshmerga’s capabilities, including advanced weapons and air-defense systems, and improving training in line with international standards.

He also called for stronger cooperation between the Peshmerga and Iraqi Army and urged Baghdad to fulfill the Peshmerga’s constitutional rights, including equal salaries and financial entitlements.

Prime Minister Barzani emphasized that the Peshmerga should remain above partisan interests, adhere to the military chain of command, and serve as a unified national force protecting the people and territory of the Kurdistan Region and contributing to stability in Iraq and the region.

Prime Minister Barzani also renewed his support for Iraqi PM Ali al-Zaidi, calling for stronger security cooperation and coordination between the Peshmerga and the Iraqi Army.

Speaking at the ceremony, Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani called “on every Peshmerga soldier to recognize the MoPA as the institution they serve and regard fellow soldiers as brothers-in-arms, regardless of party affiliation or region of origin.

“Today, your greatest responsibility begins. When you put on the Peshmerga uniform, you are the Peshmerga of Kurdistan,” he said.