'I Call on the People of Kurdistan to be Peshmerga on the 11th of 11,' Says Mansour Barzani

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – In a stirring appeal that transformed the civic act of voting into a sacred national duty, a senior Peshmerga commander issued a powerful call for the people of Kurdistan to embody the spirit of the Peshmerga on general election day, urging them to use their ballots as a weapon to defend their constitutional rights and build a more prosperous future.

After casting his own vote in Iraq's special elections on Sunday, Mansour Barzani, the Commander of the First Special Forces Division and of Gulan Special Forces, declared that the Peshmerga have always been pioneers in defending the homeland and are now leading the way in the democratic process, a new frontline in the struggle for Kurdistan's legitimate rights within Iraq.

Speaking at a press conference, Commander Mansour Barzani delivered a message that was both a tribute to the past and a strategic directive for the future.

"As a Peshmerga of the Kurdistan Region, I call on the people of Kurdistan to be Peshmerga on the 11th of 11," he stated, invoking the date of the upcoming general election. His call framed participation in the election not merely as a choice, but as an act of patriotic defense, akin to the sacrifices made by the Peshmerga on the battlefield.

He drew a direct and poignant line between the sacrifices of the armed forces and the stability the Region enjoys today. "The peace, security, and prosperity that exist in the Kurdistan Region are the product of the blood of the martyrs and the hard work and sacrifice of the Peshmerga and other security agencies," he affirmed.

He highlighted the Peshmerga's unwavering readiness to serve, noting their dual role as protectors and now as active participants in the democratic process. "Whenever the Kurdistan Region has needed the defense of the Peshmerga, the Peshmerga has been at the forefront," he said. "When the vote of the Peshmerga was needed, again the Peshmerga is a pioneer and is ready to participate in the best way and go to the ballot box."

The ultimate objective of this civic mobilization, he explained, is to empower a strong Kurdish bloc in the federal parliament to reclaim rights that have been eroded.

"The Peshmerga will elect the representatives they believe in, to go to the next Iraqi parliament, in order to regain those rights of the Kurdistan Region that are in the constitution and have been violated," Commander Barzani declared.

He then reiterated his central message, a clear and resonant call to action for all citizens: "My message to the people of Kurdistan is to be Peshmerga on the 11th of 11 and vote for those they believe in."

His powerful words were the capstone on a day filled with unified and deeply symbolic messages from the Peshmerga leadership. His call for citizens to metaphorically don the mantle of the Peshmerga echoed the sentiments of other top commanders who also framed the election as a crucial new phase in the Kurdish struggle.

Earlier in the day, Sihad Barzani, the commander of the Support Forces Command One, stressed that "the only way to defend the rights of our people will be through voting and a democratic process."

Rawan Barzani, Commander of the Halo Special Forces, made a similar point, stating that the Peshmerga who "defended the land and the homeland with blood" are now in an era where they must "defend its rights with its vote."

The Commander of the Zerevani Forces, Aziz Waisi, further elevated the day's significance by declaring it a potential "historic turning point for Kurdistan" and a moment of profound equality where "there is no difference between a commander and a Peshmerga."

This high-level encouragement came amidst a massive and remarkably smooth special voting process across Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.

More than one million and 313 thousand members of the security forces—including 145,907 from the Ministry of Peshmerga and 124,312 from the KRG Ministry of Interior—and over 26,000 displaced persons were eligible to cast their ballots. The Independent High Electoral Commission of Iraq (IHEC) confirmed that the process, held across 809 dedicated centers, proceeded without any significant technical issues.

The success of the voting technology was a key theme, particularly highlighted by Sihad Barzani, who noted his own voting process took "less than a minute."

He praised the vast improvements from previous elections, where he said "due to technical problems, about 100 to 200 thousand votes were lost." This technical reliability has imbued the process with a newfound sense of integrity, lending greater weight to the leaders' calls for mass participation.

The disciplined and orderly conduct of the Peshmerga was a standout feature of the day. Reports from the Zerevani Forces Command described a meticulously planned operation where members voted directly from their defensive trenches according to a set schedule to prevent crowding, a move their spokesperson called a "sign of complete commitment to the process."

Commander Aziz Waisi also confirmed the Peshmerga's dual role, noting that in addition to voting, more than 500 Peshmerga units were on high alert as a third line of defense to ensure the security of the election.

The successful execution of this first electoral phase, free from the technical glitches that disenfranchised so many in the past, has created a foundation of confidence as the nation heads towards Tuesday's general election.

The unified message from the Peshmerga leadership—from Sihad Barzani’s praise of the one-minute vote to Aziz Waisi’s hope for a historic turning point, and culminating in Mansour Barzani's powerful call for a nation of "Peshmerga voters"—has transformed a logistical exercise into a profound national statement.

It is a declaration that for the Peshmerga and the people of Kurdistan, the defense of the homeland continues, not just with blood and sacrifice on the battlefield, but with ballots and democratic resolve in the political arena.