Peshmerga Minister: Unification of Peshmerga Forces Is a Historic Achievement and a Long-Standing Dream of the People of Kurdistan

ARK News.. Shoresh Ismail, Minister of Peshmerga Affairs in the Kurdistan Regional Government, announced the successful unification of all Peshmerga forces under the Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs, describing the step as “a historic achievement that has long been a dream of the people of Kurdistan.”

In a statement issued on Thursday, September 10, 2026, Ismail said that the 70th and 80th Forces, previously affiliated with the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan and the Kurdistan Democratic Party, respectively, had been fully unified under a single command-and-control structure within the Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs.

Peshmerga Minister Shoresh Ismail said in the statement, “Following years of continuous efforts and struggle, we have managed to overcome all obstacles and challenges and have reached this outcome, resulting in the unification of the forces through a meticulous and well-planned military operation.”

The statement explained that the new structure involves reorganizing all forces into brigades, divisions, and regional military commands under a unified command-and-control structure, as part of the Peshmerga’s new unified structure.

It noted that this achievement will provide the Kurdistan Region with “a unified and modern army” once the forces are integrated into a single command-and-control system under the Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs.

Praise for the Support of the Presidency, Government, and International Coalition

The Minister praised the continued support provided by the President of the Kurdistan Region, the Prime Minister, and the Deputy Prime Minister, noting that this support was a key factor in reaching the completion of the unification of the Peshmerga forces.

He also praised the role played by the U.S.-led international coalition under the joint memorandum of understanding, emphasizing the importance of continuing this support in the coming phase.

Ismail called for continued support for the Unified Peshmerga Forces in the coming phase, but “in different ways,” in a manner that contributes to supporting the Peshmerga forces after the completion of their unification under the umbrella of the Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs.

According to the statement by the Minister of Peshmerga, the announcement of the completion of the unification process follows years of efforts to unify and reorganize the forces within a unified command and control structure. This is in line with the stated goal of forming a 'unified and modern army' for the Kurdistan Region.

Dear People of Kurdistan,

Kurdistan Peshmerga Forces,

Our partners in the International Coalition,

Today, with great pride, we announce historic news and a great achievement that has long been a dream of our people: the successful completion of the process of fully unifying and reorganizing the Peshmerga forces under the umbrella of the Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs.

After many years of struggle and continuous efforts, and after working as a unified force within the Ministry of Peshmerga in cooperation with the leadership of the 70th and 80th Forces, who have cooperated and paved the way, we have managed to overcome all the accumulated obstacles and challenges.

At the Ministry of Peshmerga, we have devoted all our efforts to ensuring the success of this national endeavor until we reached this significant achievement, whereby the 70th and 80th Forces were unified today through a meticulous and well-planned military operation.

As part of this fundamental reform, all forces have been reorganized under a single command-and-control structure, including brigades, divisions, and regional commands.

We are pleased to announce that the commands of the two military regions will officially begin operating. This is a historic achievement and a source of pride for the Kurdistan Region.

We deeply appreciate their cooperation and call on them to continue supporting the Unified Peshmerga Forces of Kurdistan in different ways in the coming phase.

Glory to the Peshmerga Forces and to the families of our noble martyrs.

Shoresh Ismail

Minister of Peshmerga Affairs,

Kurdistan Region

September 10, 2026

29