President Barzani Marks 64th Anniversary of Joining Peshmerga, Calls Service “Highest Honor”

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — President Masoud Barzani on Wednesday marked the 64th anniversary of his joining the Peshmerga forces, describing service in the ranks of the Kurdish fighters as “the highest honor” and paying tribute to those who sacrificed their lives for the Kurdish people.

In a statement published on social media platform X, Barzani extended greetings to “all those heroes who chose the path of Peshmerga,” praising their commitment to what he described as a sacred duty carried on their shoulders. “I kiss the eyes of all of them,” he said, expressing deep appreciation for the fighters on the front lines.

“Peshmerga service is the highest honor,” Barzani emphasized, reiterating a phrase he has consistently used throughout his political and military life.

The message coincided with the anniversary of Barzani’s own enlistment in the Peshmerga forces on May 20, 1962, when he joined the Kurdish armed struggle at the age of 16 and later took part in the September Revolution, a defining uprising in modern Kurdish history.

The September Revolution, launched in 1961 under the leadership of the late Mustafa Barzani, father of Masoud Barzani, marked a turning point in the Kurdish movement for self-determination in Iraq, establishing the Peshmerga as the central armed force defending Kurdish political and territorial aspirations.

Over the decades, President Barzani has repeatedly described his Peshmerga service as the greatest source of personal pride, positioning it as a lifelong commitment rather than a historical chapter.

He has also remained closely associated with frontline developments during key periods of conflict, including the war against the Islamic State (ISIS), when Peshmerga forces played a crucial role in defending the Kurdistan Region and halting the group’s advance across northern Iraq between 2014 and 2017.

During that period, Peshmerga fighters operated alongside international coalition partners in a coordinated campaign that ultimately led to the territorial defeat of ISIS in Iraq, though the group has continued to pose an asymmetric security threat in some areas.

The anniversary message is seen as a reaffirmation of the Peshmerga’s enduring role in Kurdish political identity, more than six decades after Barzani first joined their ranks.

The Peshmerga forces remain one of the most prominent institutions in the Kurdistan Region, tracing their modern history to early Kurdish uprisings in the 20th century and evolving into a formal military structure under the Kurdistan Regional Government.