'Today the Peshmerga Defends Its Rights with Its Vote,' Says Rawan Barzani

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – In a powerful declaration that captured the profound significance of Iraq’s special election day, a top Peshmerga commander stated that the same forces who have historically defended the land and homeland with their blood are now using the ballot box to defend their rights with their votes.

The remarks from Rawan Barzani, Commander of the Halo Special Forces, came as over 1.3 million members of Iraq's security forces and its displaced population participated in a smooth and orderly special voting process, a crucial and successful first step in the nation's sixth parliamentary elections.

"The Peshmerga in the past and present has defended the land and the homeland with blood, and today in the voting process, it defends its rights with its vote," Commander Barzani told Kurdistan24 on Sunday, framing the civic exercise as a direct continuation of the Peshmerga's long-standing mission to safeguard the future of the Kurdistan Region.

His statement resonated across the Region as thousands of Peshmerga, police, and other security personnel joined their federal counterparts in a massive, nationwide display of democratic participation.

The special voting process, a large-scale logistical operation designed for those whose duties will prevent them from voting on the main election day, was declared a resounding success by Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC).

Jumana Ghalay, the spokesperson for the commission, confirmed to Kurdistan24 in Baghdad that the process "began successfully in the provinces of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, and no technical problems have occurred with the machines."

She detailed the sheer scale of the operation, stating that "in the special voting, more than 1 million and 300 thousand voters from the armed forces have the right to vote." To accommodate them, the commission opened what she specified as 8,109 special polling centers, which include 4,501 distinct polling stations.

Ghalay provided a comprehensive breakdown of the participating forces, which included employees of the Border Crossing Points Authority, the Federal Ministry of Interior, the KRG Ministry of Interior, the Peshmerga forces, the Ministry of Defense, the Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service, and the Popular Mobilization Forces Authority.

The numbers reveal the extensive security apparatus involved, with the Iraqi Ministry of Interior having the largest contingent of 597,453 voters, followed by the Ministry of Defense with 298,054. The Ministry of Peshmerga accounted for 145,907 voters, while the Kurdistan Regional Ministry of Interior had 124,312 eligible participants.

In a significant technological update from previous elections, Ghalay confirmed the abolition of the traditional election ink. She emphasized that the measure was no longer necessary due to the robustness of the new verification system.

"Due to the existence of the biometric card and the three-stage verification process which relies on the voter's live fingerprint and the data on the card and the machine, the use of ink has become a formal matter and is not necessary," she explained. As an additional measure, voters still sign and place their fingerprint on a paper voter register to further confirm their identity.

The smooth process reported at the national level was mirrored in detailed on-the-ground reports from across the Kurdistan Region and in the contested province of Kirkuk. In Erbil, emergency services demonstrated a meticulous approach to balancing civic duty with public safety.

At the Shorish school polling station, members of the Erbil Civil Defense forces were observed voting according to a "pre-drawn plan." Sarkawt Karash, the spokesperson for the directorate, told Kurdistan24 that the voting was organized in shifts.

"We have previously drawn up a plan for the voting of our directorate's members. A portion of them will remain at the stations so that in the event of an incident, they are ready to come to the aid of the citizens' lives and property," he said.

He added that the process was "very calm and convenient," and that by mid-morning, about 30% of their forces had already voted without issue.

Similarly, in the independent administration of Soran, the special voting process was reported to be proceeding normally and calmly. Kurdistan24’s correspondent there noted that 17,842 special forces members were eligible to vote across 14 centers and 61 stations, with no technical problems reported.

Local IHEC officials in Soran also took the opportunity to issue a public reminder for citizens who have not yet received their voter cards to visit the centers to collect them before the general election day.

In the ethnically diverse and politically sensitive province of Kirkuk, the process was also marked by its lack of incident. Ali Abbas, the spokesperson for the Kirkuk branch of IHEC, confirmed to Kurdistan24 that voting was proceeding smoothly for the province's 56,237 special voters across 29 polling centers.

He noted the diversity of the forces participating at the centers, including voters from the ministries of interior and defense, the Peshmerga, the Hashd al-Shaabi, and other security units. "So far, no violation has been recorded and the voting is proceeding without problems, we have no problems," Abbas stated, adding that the commission would announce the voter turnout rate at midday.

Simultaneously, the voting process for more than 26,000 displaced persons began in 27 dedicated polling centers. Ghalay, the IHEC spokesperson, noted that while most displaced persons vote inside their camps, a specific legal provision has been made for one group. "According to the election law, only the displaced of Sinjar have the right to vote inside or outside the camps," she clarified.

As the polls are set to close at 6:00 PM, with the electronic machines locking automatically, the successful execution of this special voting day sets a positive and secure precedent for the general election, which will be held in two days on Tuesday, November 11.

The disciplined, orderly, and enthusiastic participation of the security forces, as encapsulated by Commander Rawan Barzani’s powerful words, has transformed a logistical prelude into a profound statement on the intertwined nature of security and democracy in the new Iraq.