Posted on 02/17/2011 2:23:18 AM PST by DJ Elliott
For the last 3 months, writing an update on the Peshmerga has been on the to-do list. However, the Peshmerga still has the best OPSEC in Iraq. Most of the update data has come from Iraqi MoD/MoI and USF-I reporting.
Recent reporting describes the Peshmerga as reducing from 200,000 to 70,000 with the other 130,000 either retiring or getting “government” jobs. Those “government” jobs would include the 30,000 Zerevani Paramilitary Police transferred to Iraqi Ministry of Interior [MoI], the 29,500 transferred to the Iraqi Army [IA], and 5,000 being formed into the KRG’s Oil Police.
The most significant Kurdish provided details came from the Secretary General of Peshmerga Forces over a year ago. He described a reorganization and unification of PUK/KDP Peshmerga into a 21 brigade force to be called the Kurdish Regional Border Guards [KRBG]. He also described the un-commissioned 15th and 16th Iraqi Army Divisions as separate from those 21 planned Peshmerga brigades and already under IA command.
Former Peshmerga forces that are under Government of Iraq control and are receiving Iraqi Security Force training include 4 Regional Guards Brigades [RGBs] and 30,000 Zerevani Paramilitary Police.
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FYI
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