In a recent Pentagon report released on Friday, significant strides towards security reform and the consolidation of Peshmerga forces in the Kurdistan Region have been noted, signaling progress in a long-standing issue. The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), the two ruling parties in the region, have initiated steps towards unifying the Peshmerga forces, a move lauded by international partners, particularly the United States.

According to the report from the lead inspector general of the global coalition’s Command Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR), personnel from the PUK’s 70 Unit and the KDP’s 80 Unit have been transferred to the command of the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) Peshmerga Ministry. This transfer is a significant development aimed at depoliticizing the security forces and bringing them under the umbrella of the ministry, a long-standing demand from international partners.

The report highlights that the transferred personnel have been organized into units known as Regional Guard Brigades (RGB), a crucial step towards streamlining the command structure. However, it emphasizes that further political will from the Kurdish authorities is necessary to endorse and implement a consolidated plan for the reform process.

The Pentagon report underlines the importance of unifying the accounting for the 70 and 80 units now under ministry control, stating that without this step, the politically-aligned forces transferred to the Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs (MoPA) may remain reliant on their respective political parties.

The return of Peshmerga Minister Shoresh Ismail, who resumed his duties in November after being absent for over a year, is seen as a significant boost to the reform process. Ismail had resigned in late 2022 due to political interference but returned citing the region’s political and military instability as the reason for his comeback. He has called for enhanced cooperation between the ruling political parties to ensure the continuity of the reform process.

The PUK’s Unit 70 and the KDP’s Unit 80 collectively constitute the majority of the Peshmerga forces, totaling over 100,000 troops. The US, leading advisory efforts to reform the Peshmerga into a modern army, has warned Kurdish authorities of the possibility of withdrawing support and funds if progress is not made in depoliticizing the security forces.

The recent developments outlined in the Pentagon report mark a significant step forward in addressing longstanding concerns regarding the Peshmerga forces in the Kurdistan Region, signaling a renewed commitment towards security reform and unification.