Peshmerga under command of Kurdistan Commander-in-chief: Peshmerga Ministry

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – Kurdish Peshmerga forces remain under the system of the federal government of Iraq, but are under the command of the Kurdistan Commander-in-chief, the Peshmerga Ministry said on Friday.

The Peshmerga Ministry’s media office released a statement explaining that the Kurdish forces would remain under the command of the Kurdistan Region Commander-in-chief, the President of the Region Masoud Barzani.

The report mentioned that although Peshmerga is part of Iraq’s defense system according to the constitution, the federal government had not upheld its responsibility to provide weapons, military equipment, and training for Peshmerga forces.

“Peshmerga has proved to the entire world that they are the only ground forces that can combat the most barbaric terrorist group,” the statement continued.

It also explained that Peshmerga does not intend to occupy any areas, but would continue to defend all those regions liberated from the Islamic State (IS) until their threat is diminished.

“The Peshmerga forces of Kurdistan always expressed its readiness to help and cooperate with Iraqi army officials to defeat terrorists, and has proved it in action,” the Ministry said.

The statement thanked the US-led coalition against IS and stated that the Ministry is in good contact with the coalition members to combat jihadists and implement the Mosul offensive plan.

The Ministry’s statement comes as a response to the Deputy Spokesperson of the US State Department Mark Toner’s speech.

On Aug. 17, Toner said, “I think it’s absolutely important, and we’ve emphasized this all along, that the Peshmerga and all the various fighting groups in Iraq need to be under the command and control of the Iraqi Government and the Iraqi military.”

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany