Dr. Chiman Barzani highlights Peshmerga unification progress and efforts to secure equal rights for Kurdistan Region security retirees.
A member of the Iraqi Parliament’s Security and Defense Committee has highlighted continued efforts to reorganize and unify the Peshmerga forces, while confirming that work is underway in Baghdad to ensure equal retirement rights for Kurdistan Region security personnel and their federal counterparts.
Dr. Chiman Barzani, a member of the Security and Defense Committee representing the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) bloc, said the process of reorganizing and unifying the Peshmerga forces is a “strategic and national project” being pursued with strong determination by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the Ministry of Peshmerga.
She said the process, under the supervision and support of the Kurdistan Region Presidency and Coalition forces, has achieved important progress, including the organization of forces, formation of joint brigades, and digitalization of administrative and financial systems.
“Despite existing challenges, there is serious determination to bring all Peshmerga forces under the national umbrella of the Ministry of Peshmerga and establish a strong, unified force. This is our goal and the desire of the people of Kurdistan,” Barzani said.
Regarding efforts in Baghdad to secure the constitutional rights of the Peshmerga, she said work continues to guarantee their financial and logistical entitlements as a key component of Iraq’s defense and security system.
Barzani added that parliamentary efforts have focused on ensuring the federal government fulfills its responsibilities regarding Peshmerga salaries, weapons, and training budgets through the federal budget law and ongoing financial discussions.
She also emphasized the importance of strengthening joint operations rooms in Kurdish areas outside the Kurdistan Region’s administration, saying the initiative aims to prevent security gaps that could be exploited by terrorist groups.
“Strong coordination between the Peshmerga forces and the Iraqi Army is essential to confronting terrorist threats and preventing the resurgence of terrorism,” she said.
Concluding her remarks, Dr. Chiman Barzani said she recently submitted an official letter to the chairman of the Iraqi Parliament’s Security and Defense Committee regarding the retirement demands of security forces and Peshmerga personnel.
She said the aim is to protect their rights and ensure their retirement benefits are equal to those received by retirees from Iraq’s federal security and military institutions.