ERBIL () - The Consulate General of the Netherlands in Erbil on Monday congratulated the Peshmerga forces on their formal unification, saying a professional and nonpartisan force would be better positioned to protect the people of both Kurdistan and Iraq.
In a statement issued Sept. 21, the Dutch Consulate expressed support for the completion of the unification process and said the Netherlands was proud to have contributed to the effort.
The statement came as Kurdistan Region leaders formally marked the restructuring of the Peshmerga forces under the authority of the Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs at a ceremony attended by Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani, Kurdistan Regional Government Prime Minister Masrour Barzani and Peshmerga Affairs Minister Shorsh Ismail.
The Dutch message emphasized three characteristics for the reorganized force: unity, professionalism and political neutrality.
Those themes also featured prominently in remarks by Kurdistan Region leaders during Monday’s ceremony.
Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani described the unification as a significant institutional step rather than simply the movement of military units from one structure to another.
"For years, we have said that Kurdistan needs one force, one ministry and one command,"he said, adding that the Peshmerga should operate as a national force free from interference by political and partisan disputes.
He traced the wider reform process to 2016, when President Masoud Barzani initiated reforms within the Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs.
Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani cautioned that formal unification was not the end of the process. He said the next phase must translate unity into command, decision-making, training, organization, promotions, rights and duties, military service and discipline.
Read More: Kurdistan Region President Marks Historic Peshmerga Unification
Focus Turns to Professionalization
Prime Minister Masrour Barzani similarly described Sept. 21 as a “historic day” for Kurdistan while stressing that structural unification was only the first stage of a longer reform program.
He said all Peshmerga forces had now been placed under the Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs within a single structure covering command and control, operations, training, communications and accounting.
The next phase, Prime Minister Barzani said, will focus on professionalization, including the development of personnel and improvements in physical and intellectual training according to international military standards.
He also stressed that political affiliation was an individual right but should not determine the conduct of Peshmerga personnel.
“We want the Peshmerga to be a national Kurdistani force that stands above all party and personal interests,” Prime Minister Barzani said.
Read More: Prime Minister Barzani: Peshmerga Unification Marks Historic Day for Kurdistan
One Military Structure
Peshmerga Affairs Minister Shorsh Ismail said the completed restructuring had brought the forces under a unified command-and-control system after years of institutional work and efforts to overcome political, security and organizational challenges.
Under the new organization, the Peshmerga consists of 11 military divisions, two support forces, one commando unit and two military regional commands.
Ismail described the Peshmerga as a national institution whose central responsibility is protecting the people and territory of Kurdistan.
“A unified national army is the guardian of the people, the land and the homeland,” he said.
Read More: Shorsh Ismail: Unified Peshmerga Marks Historic Turning Point
The Netherlands’ statement adds an international message of support as the Kurdistan Region moves from completing the organizational phase of unification toward implementing the new structure in practice.
For Kurdistan Region leaders, Monday’s ceremony marked the achievement of a long-standing objective. Their speeches, however, also placed the emphasis firmly on what comes next: ensuring that unity is reflected throughout the military hierarchy and developing a professional force operating through one ministry and one command.
The Dutch Consulate’s congratulations echoed that objective, linking continued effectiveness to a Peshmerga force that is unified, professional and nonpartisan.
