Coalition official underlines importance of Kurdish unity in meeting with Peshmerga Minister

Colonel Leonovitch underlined the importance of creating a strong united Peshmerga force.

Wladimir van Wilgenburg 2022/05/25 20:50

Peshmerga Minister Shorish Ismail met Deputy Director of Coalition Advisors in the Kurdistan Region Col. Leonovitch on Tuesday, May 24, 2022 (Photo: Ministry of Peshmerga)

Kurdistan KRG Ministry of Peshmerga Shorsh Ismail Colonel Leonovitch Peshmerga Reform Peshmerga unification Nechirvan Barzani

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Deputy Director of Coalition Advisors in the Kurdistan Region Colonel Leonovitch met with the Kurdistan Region Peshmerga Minister Shorish Ismail on Tuesday and underlined the importance of Kurdish unity.

At the meeting, attended by the ministry's senior military advisers Major General Bakhtiar Mohammed and Brigadier General Hazhar Omar, they discussed the process of military reform, training, reorganization of forces, and proposed projects, the Ministry of Peshmerga said in a statement.

Peshmerga Minister Ismail stressed that greater cooperation and work are needed to reorganize the Peshmerga forces.

According to the Ministry of Peshmerga, Colonel Leonovitch underlined the importance of creating a strong united Peshmerga force, adding that unity strengthens the Kurds and the Peshmerga.

Last Sunday, Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani participated in the graduation ceremony of two courses at Qallachoalan's 3d Military Academy last Sunday. At the ceremony, he also underlined the importance of uniting Peshmerga forces.

"It is true that according to the law, the Kurdistan Region Presidency is responsible for the general command of the Kurdistan Peshmerga forces, but in order to implement the reform and unification of the Peshmerga, the PUK (Patriotic Union of Kurdistan) and KDP (Kurdistan Democratic Party) must decide, with confidence and without regret, to eliminate political parties' influence on the Peshmerga institutions," he said.

"Political party interference in Peshmerga affairs must end," he added. "In this way, the real reform and unification of the Peshmerga will begin and succeed, otherwise, with all the major political conflicts, even what has been achieved will vanish."

The Netherlands, the US, the UK, and Germany form the unique Multi-National Advisory Group (MNAG) that enthusiastically supports the project to establish a modern, effective, affordable, and accountable Peshmerga force under the control of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).

"I am eager to see a unified force under the Ministry of Peshmerga; enabled by a professional, operational command and control structure," outgoing US Col. Todd Burroughs, Deputy Director of the US-led coalition's Military Advisor Group North, earlier told Kurdistan 24