Kurdistan Peshmerga forces receive another 61 armored vehicles from US-led coalition: official

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – US Col. Jeffrey Todd Burroughs, Deputy Director Military Advisor Group North, confirmed to Kurdistan 24 on Thursday that the Ministry of Peshmerga has received 61 new armored vehicles.

Divestment Day 2: For the second consecutive day, @CJTFOIR divested over 60 vehicles to the @KRG_MOPE M4 warehouse. These mobility assets will greatly enhance maneuverability and logistical support capability for the #Peshmerga to #DefeatDaesh #StrongerTogether #AdviseandAssist pic.twitter.com/NQhKE4dW0Z

— Deputy Director MAG-North Colonel Todd Burroughs (@DepDirMAGN) September 23, 2021

He also tweeted that the Coalition “divested over 60 vehicles” to the Ministry of Peshmerga M4 warehouse. “These mobility assets will greatly enhance maneuverability and logistical support capability for the Peshmerga to Defeat Daesh,” he added.

Also yesterday, the Ministry of Peshmerga received 70 armored vehicles from the US-led coalition. 

"CJTF-OIR is committed to advising, assisting, and enabling the Peshmerga to secure the enduring defeat of ISIS," Col. Burroughs, Deputy Director Military Advisor Group North, told Kurdistan 24 on Wednesday.

He added that the “divestment of vehicles provides much needed mobility assets to the Peshmerga to enhance their combat capability. This divestment also serves as a visible symbol of the coalition's commitment to our partner forces in this critical mission."

The US-led coalition has supplied the Ministry of Peshmerga with three previous deliveries of vehicles this month. 

On September 22, it delivered “over 70 armored vehicles”. On September 13, it delivered 20 armored vehicles along with 30,000 magazines. And on September 8, it also delivered 150 vehicles to the ministry.

The vehicles are funded through the US Department of Defense (DoD)-funded Counter-ISIS Train and Equip Fund (CTEF) program.

In an emailed response to a Kurdistan 24 query, the US-led coalition spokesman, Col. Wayne Marotto pointed out that the Wednesday delivery was “one example of many” made over the past year. 

He noted that in November 2020, the US “divested over $6 million in supplies and equipment to the Peshmerga.” The following month, it “disbursed” 40 vehicles to the Peshmerga Brigade.

It also divested 93 vehicles in January, consisting of 50 Land Cruises, 20 armored non tactical vehicles, 12 ambulances, and 11 Humvees.

“This was in addition to the Office of Security Cooperation-Iraq (OSC-I) Foreign Military Financing (FMF) which provided equipment for two Peshmerga Brigades,” Col. Marotto said.

“From January to the present, the Coalition has divested millions of dollars’ worth of equipment to the Peshmerga,” he added. “The Coalition has also provided $850 million in stipends over the last few years beginning in 2015.”

Col. Marotto also reiterated the Coalition’s support of the Peshmerga through such divestments of equipment to help that Kurdish force combat the Islamic State (ISIS).

“The Coalition are welcomed guests in Kurdistan that are essential to both Iraqi Arabs and Iraqi Kurds in the defeat Daesh (ISIS) mission,” he concluded.

“The Coalition’s presence ensures Kurdistan has increased regional stability.”

 -- Additional reporting by Dler Sabar.