Kurdistan Region President, Coalition General discuss Peshmerga unification

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani on Wednesday received General Matthew McFarlane, Commanding General of Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve, and his accompanying delegation in Erbil, according to a statement from the Kurdistan Region Presidency.

US Consul General in Erbil Irvin Hicks Jr. also attended the meeting.

“The meeting highlighted the reform process in the Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs, the unification and reorganization of the Peshmerga, the problems and obstacles facing the process and ways to address the issues,” the statement read.

Both sides agreed that Peshmerga unification and reorganization, as well as reforms at the Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs, had not been accomplished as planned.

The Kurdistan Region President emphasized that despite problems and obstacles, all efforts will be made to complete the reform process and unify the Peshmerga.

He also expressed his gratitude to the United States for its contribution to the Peshmerga reform process.

Erbil-Baghdad ties were also addressed at the meeting, with specific mention of cooperation between Iraqi forces and the Peshmerga in combating ISIS.

Although ISIS was defeated territorially in 2017 by Kurdish and Iraqi forces with Coalition support, the group still poses a threat to security forces and civilians alike.

The Ministry of Peshmerga continues to receive military aid from the US-led Coalition through the US Department of Defense-funded Counter-ISIS Train and Equip Fund (CTEF) program.

In 2022 alone, the US provided $351 million dollars in equipment and ammunition to Peshmerga forces from the counter-terrorist equipment fund, according to Major Rachael Jeffcoat, the Coalition spokesperson.