Officially: Kurdistan Region Announces Full Unification of Peshmerga Forces

ARK News.. The Kurdistan Region Presidency is hosting an official ceremony in Erbil on Monday, September 21, 2026, to announce the full and comprehensive unification of the Kurdistan Peshmerga Forces, under the patronage and in the presence of Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani and Prime Minister Masrour Barzani.

According to a statement from the Kurdistan Region Presidency, the ceremony will review the key and final steps of the process of restructuring and unifying the forces under a single umbrella, in fulfillment of the commitments outlined in the memorandum of understanding signed between the Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs and the U.S. Department of Defense (Pentagon), which set September as the final deadline for completing the process.

Peshmerga Affairs Minister Shorsh Ismail had previously announced the successful completion of the organization and unification of all Peshmerga formations under the ministry, confirming the full integration of the forces of Units 70 and 80 under a unified command and control structure encompassing brigades, divisions, and regional commands.

The minister described the achievement as "historic good news and a great gain for the people of Kurdistan,” saying the Region now has a modern, unified regular army operating under the direct command of the Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs.

Structure of the Unified Force

The new organizational structure of the unified army includes:

Regional commands: The field structure is divided into the First and Second Regions.
Divisions and brigades: Eleven military divisions have been established, each consisting of three brigades, in addition to two infantry brigades attached to the divisions.

The Peshmerga Affairs Minister expressed his gratitude for the continued direct support provided by the Kurdistan Region President, the Prime Minister, and his Deputy while praising the pivotal role of the U.S.-led international coalition in advancing the process.

He also called for new and sustained forms of support and capacity-building for the unified Peshmerga Forces in the next phase.

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