17 Facts About Peshmerga

1.

Formally, the Peshmerga are under the command of the Kurdistan Regional Government's Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs.

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2.

In 2003, during the Iraq War, Peshmerga played a key role in the mission to capture Saddam Hussein.

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3.

In Iraq, most of these Peshmerga were led by Mustafa Barzani of the Kurdistan Democratic Party.

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4.

In 2014, the Peshmerga withdrew from the Nineveh Plains which was said by the locals as being a contributing factor of the quick Islamic State victory in the invasion, and the widespread massacre of Yazidis, who were rendered defenseless.

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5.

Peshmerga are mostly divided among forces loyal to the Kurdistan Democratic Party and those loyal to the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, while other, minor Kurdish parties such as the Kurdistan Socialist Democratic Party have their own small Peshmerga units.

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6.

Peshmerga have divided Kurdistan Region into a KDP-governed "yellow" zone covering Dohuk Governorate and Erbil Governorate and a PUK-governed "green" zone covering Sulaymaniyah Governorate and Halabja Governorate.

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7.

Some Peshmerga were already transferred but reportedly deserted again, and there are allegations that former Peshmerga forces remained loyal to the KRG rather than their Iraqi chain of command; regardless, thousands of members of the 80 Unit of KDP and the 70 Unit of PUK are based in Baghdad, and they have good cooperation with other Iraqi forces in Baghdad.

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8.

Peshmerga forces are secular with a Muslim majority and Assyrian and Yazidi units.

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9.

The Peshmerga captured stockpiles of weapons during the 1991 Iraqi uprisings.

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10.

Since August 2014, Peshmerga forces have captured weapons from the Islamic State.

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11.

In 2015, for the first time, Peshmerga soldiers received urban warfare and military intelligence training from foreign trainers, the Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve.

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12.

Peshmerga arsenal is limited and confined by restrictions because the Kurdish Region has to purchase arms through the Iraqi government.

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13.

Under the guidance of the US-led coalition the Peshmerga has started to standardize its weapons systems, replacing Soviet-era weapons with NATO firearms.

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14.

Peshmerga forces are plagued by frequent allegations of corruption, partisanship, nepotism, and fraud.

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15.

In 2011 KDP Peshmerga fired on anti-government protesters in Sulaymaniyah, and the PUK later used its own security forces to break up these protests, leading to criticism from all of the opposition parties in the parliament.

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16.

In 2014 the KDP used its Peshmerga to stop ministers from the Gorran Movement to enter Erbil and attend parliament.

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17.

Outside of Kurdistan Region the Peshmerga has been accused of using force to exert control of local Arab, Yazidi and Assyrian communities, particularly after taking control of areas officially outside of Kurdistan Region during the Iraqi Civil War.

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