KRG Peshmerga Minister to resume duties after year-long absence
Kurdistan 24 had previously reported that Mr. Ismail submitted his resignation, but his resignation had not been accepted by KRG authorities.
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Shorish Ismail, the disengaged Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Minister of Peshmerga Affairs, is expected to return to the Peshmerga Ministry on Sunday and resume his duties after taking an extended leave of absence, a verified KRG source revealed to Kurdistan 24.
Mr. Ismail had not worked in his position for more than a year, reportedly due to intra-PUK (Patriotic Union of Kurdistan) disputes.
The absence of the minister had hampered the implementation of the Peshmerga Ministry's reforms and its standing with the Coalition, which has continuously pressed the Kurds on the unification of Unit 70, commanded by the PUK, and Unit 80, commanded by the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP).
Unifying the forces has been a key concern for the Peshmerga ministry over the past decade as most fighters are aligned and under the direct command of one of the two leading Kurdish parties.
Moreover, a source had previously told Kurdistan 24 that during a visit by Dana Stroul, the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (DASD) to the Kurdistan Region, in July, she asked the minister to return to his role.
Kurdistan 24 had previously reported that Mr. Ismail submitted his resignation, but his resignation had not been accepted by KRG authorities.
In Aug. 2022, Mr. Ismail and his delegation visited both the US and UK, where he met with several senior officials from both countries to discuss anti-ISIS efforts and the military’s unification.
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