Three Peshmerga detained after protest over coalition aid suspension in Erbil​

ERBIL — Three soldiers from the Kurdistan Regional Government’s 11th Infantry Brigade have been detained after participating in a protest last week against the suspension of financial aid from the international coalition fighting the Islamic State, according to a source within the brigade.

The arrests reportedly followed a protest on Sept. 3, 2024, during which a soldier read a statement in English that was riddled with errors. A source from the brigade, speaking anonymously, told 964media, “The three soldiers are currently held at the battalion headquarters, and no external forces were involved in their arrest.” The source added that their detention was linked to “the poor quality of English used in the statement, which failed to convey the intended message.”

The source also revealed that two additional soldiers were detained for speaking to the media and participating in the protest. According to the source, “Coalition forces have expressed concerns about the behavior of our battalion commander, and a decision has been made by the Ministry of Peshmerga to relieve him of his duties. However, the official order has not yet been received.”

During the protest outside their barracks in the Koya district of Erbil Governorate, Peshmerga soldier Hashim Abdullah told 964media, “For the past four months, we have received no financial support from the coalition. There are 540 of us, and each Peshmerga used to receive around 400,000 dinars (approximately $266 USD) monthly.” He indicated that the suspension of aid seemed to be linked to concerns about the battalion commander.

On Sept. 4, the Ministry of Peshmerga issued a statement regarding the aid suspension, clarifying that “this issue is not related to any decision made by the Ministry of Peshmerga itself. Instead, it directly pertains to the methods and conditions under which the coalition forces provide assistance to military units.” The ministry added that the suspension is tied to security protocols established by allied forces, and assured that it “has taken necessary steps and is actively addressing the issue.” The ministry said it is awaiting further decisions from coalition forces regarding the reorganization and distribution of their support.

The Ministry of Peshmerga oversees more than 180,000 Peshmerga fighters, of whom 44,000 have been reorganized into 15 joint brigades with the support and oversight of the U.S.-led coalition, aimed at unifying the Peshmerga forces. The United States, which leads the coalition, is spending approximately $25 million on salaries for Peshmerga fighters as part of these joint units.

The remaining Peshmerga forces are affiliated with the region’s two major political parties: Unit 70, aligned with the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, and Unit 80, under the command of the Kurdistan Democratic Party. The ministry has committed to unifying these forces into joint brigades.