Pentagon to deliver new military aid to Kurdistan Region in early November

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Kurdistan Region’s Ministry of Peshmerga announced on Tuesday that the United States would provide two Peshmerga brigades with military assistance early next month.

A statement the Peshmerga ministry released on Tuesday announced a “second phase of US military and logistical aid” that would be distributed to the 14th and 16th Brigades in the Ministry of Peshmerga in early November. The aid is “part of the process of reorganizing and arming the brigades’ structures,” the ministry statement read.

“The US military’s decision to distribute the second phase of aid was announced during a meeting held today, Tuesday, between a team of senior US military advisors in Erbil [and] the Ministry of Peshmerga,” it added.

The statement quoted Peshmerga Minister Shorsh Ismail who stressed that “the US military and logistical assistance to the Peshmerga forces is the subject of great praise and attention.” Ismail explained that with the assistance, “the Peshmerga forces are taking steps toward an advanced and prosperous phase.”

The Peshmerga minister also expressed his appreciation to the US military advisors in the region for their desire to reorganize the Peshmerga forces and help form a modern military force that is independent and unified.

In turn, the commander of the US forces in the region indicated that American forces would “continue to coordinate and provide assistance to the Ministry of Peshmerga,” stressing that “the second phase of military assistance is evidence of the US and the coalition’s desire to strengthen the Peshmerga forces in order to carry out with the cooperating parties to cleanse the region of terrorism and ISIS terrorists.”

Washington committed almost $250 million in security assistance to the Ministry of Peshmerga on Sept. 15, which consisted of vehicles, communications equipment, and training.

Read More: US pledges nearly $250 million in military equipment to Kurdistan Region

The Peshmerga statement noted that the US military aid and assistance would be provided to the Peshmerga Ministry in a special ceremony early in November.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany