Germany builds training centers for Peshmerga

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – Germany initiated two projects in Erbil to prepare Kurdish Peshmerga forces for street fighting against the Islamic State (IS).

On Wednesday, in a ceremony attended by military commanders of German army and Peshmerga commanders in Erbil, two projects “German village” and “Ghost house” funded and implemented by Germany were opened.

In a speech during the ceremony, a German army commander said that the two projects have been designed to train Peshmerga fighters on street fighting against IS.

According to the German commander, the projects were completed in 70 days in which $356,000 was invested in these two projects in 40,000 square meters.

“The German village training center contains of 51 containers, two floor houses, subterranean tunnel system, and a river flowing into the village which are places that are going to be used by the German and Peshmerga troops during the training operations,” the German commander added.

The German commander said that “This German village makes offensive and defensive operations possible for Peshmerga forces to attack the enemy, liberate villages and clear booby-traps and eventually defend the place.”

The Ghost house project, according to the commander, offers four similar classrooms, in each of them 30 soldiers can be taught in military basics. “These projects were designed to train Peshmerga forces in city and street fights,” he added.

Our main aim is to use these two trainee locations to train Peshmerga forces and prepare them for the fight against IS, he concluded.

Aziz Waisy, the commander of Zeravani Peshmerga forces stated that “These projects will increase the ability of our forces in offensive and defensive operations against IS.”

The Peshmerga forces who finish the training here will play a big role in the fight against IS, Waisy added.

Germany is one of the first countries that provided military aid to Kurds including weapons, ammunition and training for in their battle against the IS extremists.

Editing by Ava Homa