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Washington Considers Ending Military Aid to Peshmerga Forces
The U.S. administration is considering ending military assistance provided to the Peshmerga forces in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region, according to the BBC, which cited informed sources. The move comes as preparations continue for the withdrawal of U.S. and coalition forces from the country.
According to the sources, the U.S. Department of Defense informed officials in the Kurdistan Region during recent meetings that it did not intend to renew the security assistance agreement between the two sides. The agreement is scheduled to expire on September 30, the date set for the withdrawal of the last U.S. and coalition forces from Iraq.
Following the withdrawal, the only remaining U.S. military base in Iraq, located in Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region, is expected to close.
The U.S. Department of Defense included a proposal to halt security assistance to the Peshmerga in its fiscal year 2027 budget request. The proposal is based on the assessment that ISIS has been defeated and that funds allocated to combating the group could therefore be redirected to other areas. However, the proposal remains on hold amid ongoing disagreements in Congress over the budget.
The United States initially signed a memorandum of understanding to provide military support to the Peshmerga forces in 2016. The agreement was renewed in 2022.
Although Washington appears to be moving toward ending the agreement, sources said that no final decision has yet been made. They added that the United States is considering options to maintain a degree of security cooperation and support for Iraq and the Kurdistan Region after the withdrawal of its forces from the country.
