PM Masrour Barzani meets Peshmerga Minister, approves officer promotions

The meeting stressed the importance of the Peshmerga Ministry's reform project and reorganizing the Peshmerga forces.

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, on Sunday, approved a decision to promote the rank of officers and commanders in the Ministry of Peshmerga.

The announcement came following a meeting headed by Barzani, attended by Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani, at the Ministry of Peshmerga. The gathering discussed several security issues and the conditions of the Peshmerga forces, according to a statement from the premier's office.

All sides stressed the importance of the Peshmerga Ministry's reform project and reorganizing the Peshmerga forces, the statement added. They also highlighted the latest measures in this regard while discussing means of accelerating implementation.

Read More: PM Barzani calls for speeding up reforms in Peshmerga Ministry

The meeting also addressed the issue of promoting officer ranks in the Ministry of Peshmerga, which the government has suspended for several years. This was amid harsh economic conditions and the fight against the so-called Islamic State.

The officials approved promotions set for 2017. They also agreed to advances planned for 2018, 2019, and subsequent years per a new mechanism and after careful study.

The Peshmerga have been labeled one of the most effective ground troops in helping defeat the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.

About 2,000 Peshmerga were killed fighting the terrorist organization, which, at its height, controlled a third of Iraq and was advancing on the Kurdistan Region, pushed back at the borders. Over 12,000 more fighters were wounded, according to Peshmerga Ministry figures.

According to the Iraqi Constitution, the Peshmerga are part of Iraq's defense system but have often complained of neglect and marginalization by the federal government.

In recent months, after a new Iraqi prime minister, Mustafa al-Kadhimi, took office, the Erbil and Baghdad governments have been working to put into practice coordination in the fight against Islamic State remnants, which remains especially active in territories of disputed control.

Editing by Khrush Najari