Latest news with #Zebari
Rudaw Net
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Peshmerga unification enters final phase, set for completion by year-end: Advisor
Also in Kurdistan Kurdistan parliament to enter summer recess despite political stalemate Erbil emergency water project enters testing phase Blaze scorches hundreds of dunams in Sulaimani province Explosive drone crashes in Duhok camp housing Yazidis A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The long-awaited unification of the Kurdistan Region's Peshmerga forces has entered its final phase and is expected to be completed by the end of the year, an advisor to the Region's presidency and former chief of staff of Iraq's Army, Babakir Zebari, told Rudaw on Tuesday. Efforts are now focused on forming the last of the 11 planned brigades, with ten already established. 'We are working on force unification and brigade formation,' Zebari said, adding, 'So far, ten brigades have been formed. We are now on the final one, and the process will be completed this year. All forces will be unified,' he stressed. This milestone represents a major step toward consolidating all Peshmerga units under the Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs. The effort includes integrating the powerful Unit 70 and Unit 80 forces - affiliated with the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), respectively - into a single chain of command. These two units together comprise the majority of the Peshmerga forces, totaling over 100,000 troops. The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has pursued the unification of its military forces for years, aiming to establish a professional, depoliticized national force free from partisan control. The initiative has received consistent backing from international allies, particularly the United States and the US-led Global Coalition against the Islamic State (ISIS). In January, Abdulkhaliq Babiri, undersecretary of the Peshmerga ministry, told Rudaw that support from the coalition - including logistical, equipment, and financial aid - is ongoing. Washington has pledged to continue its support through 2026. Despite steady international support, the unification process has faced numerous setbacks. Between 2010 and 2013, approximately 42,000 Peshmerga from Unit 70 and Unit 80 were merged, and 14 brigades were formed. However, progress was stalled by internal political tensions and the outbreak of war against ISIS in 2014. A renewed push came in 2018 with the announcement of a 35-point reform plan for unification, developed in collaboration with international partners. More recently, in December, the Peshmerga ministry revealed plans to establish two operations command centers overseeing the 11 brigades. This effort aims to improve command and control, standardize training, and enhance operational effectiveness. Additionally, an initiative to digitize health data for Peshmerga forces, funded by the US-based Spirit of America NGO, was launched in late April, as part of the broader efforts to professionalize and depoliticize the forces.
Shafaq News
04-06-2025
- Business
- Shafaq News
Kurdish politician warns of political fallout over Baghdad salary freeze
Shafaq News/ On Tuesday, Senior Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) leader Hoshyar Zebari criticized the federal government's decision to halt funding for salaries of public employees in Iraq's Kurdistan region, calling it a form of 'collective punishment' that would have 'political consequences.' On X, Zebari described the move as an attempt by the government of Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and the Coordination Framework to 'starve citizens under financial and administrative pretexts.' He added, 'We are not living in an ideal city; history shows the aggressor will be held accountable.' Tensions between Erbil and Baghdad have escalated over the decision by Iraq's federal finance ministry to freeze May 2025 salary transfers to the Region. Baghdad cited the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG)'s alleged failure to hand over oil and non-oil revenues as mandated in the federal budget. The KRG responded by accusing Baghdad of shirking its obligations and described the decision as politically motivated, affecting more than 1.2 million Regional employees. The US State Department also weighed in, urging a swift and constructive resolution to the payment dispute. In a statement to Shafaq News, a department official said, 'Resolving the payments issue quickly would send a message that Iraq prioritizes its people and create an environment more attractive to investment.' The official added that it could also pave the way for reopening the Iraq-Turkiye pipeline.
Rudaw Net
01-06-2025
- Business
- Rudaw Net
Baghdad decision not to send salaries 'political': Senior KDP official
Also in Iraq Coordination Framework delegation to visit Erbil amid Baghdad-KRG strain Kurdistan workers urge Iraq's top court to order salary release from Baghdad Iraq transfers military college cadets to Baghdad after tragic deaths Iraqi leaders receive Lebanese president for talks on bilateral ties, security A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Senior Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) official Hoshyar Zebari on Saturday labeled Baghdad's halt of salary payments to the Kurdistan Region's civil servants as a 'political and programmed' decision. 'The decision from the Ministry of Finance is a political and programmed decision against the [Kurdistan] Region and its constitution in general, and it will undoubtedly have repercussions,' Zebari said on X. Tensions between Baghdad and Erbil escalated after the Iraqi finance ministry on Wednesday announced that it would no longer send the Kurdistan Region's financial entitlements from the federal budget, including the salaries of over one million civil servants of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). The decision triggered an outcry from many Kurdish political parties, who held a meeting on Saturday, chaired by the KDP, and denounced Baghdad's decision to halt payments to the Region as 'against the will of the people of Kurdistan and the political and legal framework of the Kurdistan Region.' The parties said Baghdad must not politicize the rights of civil servants and said that they favoured resolving the matter through dialogue. 'What is the interest of Mr. [Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia'] al-Sudani and the ruling Coordination Framework in igniting the crisis of funding salaries for regional employees at this particular time, while the country is approaching national elections? Perhaps these are technical issues at play,' Zebari stressed. Finances are a frequent source of friction between Erbil and Baghdad. In stopping the payments, Baghdad accused Erbil of failing to hand over its oil and non-oil revenues and claimed that the KRG had received its full share of the federal budget for 2025. The KDP said on Thursday that it would take a 'serious stance' if Baghdad fails to pay the May salaries by June 6, which coincides with the Islamic holiday Eid al-Adha. The finance ministry's decision to cease payments to Erbil came on the heels of the KRG inking two new oil and gas deals with American firms, drawing the ire of Iraq's oil ministry, which has taken legal action. A delegation from Baghdad is expected to visit Erbil and meet with top Kurdish officials and politicians to resolve the financial issues.
Shafaq News
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
KRG: No forced returns for displaced Iraqis
Shafaq News/ On Tuesday, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) reiterated its opposition to the forced return of internally displaced persons, especially to former ISIS-controlled areas. Dindar Zebari, the KRG Coordinator for International Advocacy, announced during the Conference on Missing Persons in the Middle East and North Africa that 'the people of Kurdistan have borne the brunt of atrocities—from the notorious Anfal campaign to the crimes committed by ISIS against Yazidis and other minorities,' reaffirming the KRG's deep commitment to uncovering the fate of the missing and ensuring accountability for crimes of enforced disappearance. Zebari recalled the disappearance of over 182,000 civilians during the Anfal operations, including 8,000 Barzani men, noting that the remains of victims have been recovered from 75 mass graves across Iraq, with 3,659 victims identified and returned to their families. The KRG has worked to rescue victims of ISIS. Out of 6,417 documented cases of Yazidi abductions, 3,587 individuals have been freed, while 2,830 remain missing. The official backed international recommendations on addressing enforced disappearances, including criminalization, investigative reforms, and better protections for vulnerable groups—measures already incorporated into the region's 2021–2025 Human Rights Action Plan focused on justice and survivor support. He also called on the international community to fulfill its humanitarian responsibilities and provide the technical, financial, and logistical support needed to accelerate investigations into enforced disappearances. Zebari highlighted cooperation with the United Nations Investigative Team (UNITAD), which led to the preservation and digitization of more than 408,000 pages of investigative files—documents he described as essential for future legal proceedings against ISIS perpetrators. He pointed to the KRG's rehabilitation and support initiatives, including the Psychological Treatment Institute in Duhok, a center documenting genocide-related sexual crimes, and a facility dedicated to assisting liberated women. 'These institutions have collectively provided psychological and legal support to over 1,278 survivors,' Zebari pointed out. He also showcased the KRG's use of advanced forensic tools, including DNA analysis, as a vital means of identifying remains and offering closure to victims' families.
Shafaq News
17-04-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Sulaimani Forum 2025: Kurds eye lasting role in Syria's future
Shafaq News/ On a dimly lit stage at the American University of Iraq in Sulaimani, optimism ran high as veteran Iraqi Kurdish politician Hoshyar Zebari declared that what happened in Syria is 'just the beginning.' His remarks came during the second day of the ninth annual Sulaimani Forum held in Kurdistan's al-Sulaymaniyah, where Kurdish and international officials signaled that the post-war phase in Syria may already be underway — and that Kurds intend to secure a lasting seat at the decision-making table in Damascus. "A Decisive First Step" Zebari described the newly signed eight-point agreement between Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) commander Mazloum Abdi and transitional President Ahmed Al-Sharaa as a 'decisive first step.' The deal, endorsed by key international players including the United States and France, aims to formally incorporate Kurdish voices into Syria's post-Assad governance structure. Zebari characterized the weakening of al-Assad's grip as a 'political earthquake' triggered on February 8 last year, arguing that the emerging political order must expand beyond decades of authoritarian rule. The experience of Iraqi Kurds, he added, could serve as inspiration — if not a template — for Kurdish aspirations in northern Syria. 'We are not imposing our model,' Zebari said. 'But Kurdish unity is the key to everything.' Scrutiny on Implementation Ilham Ahmed of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), who is attending the forum, welcomed the agreement, describing it as a turning point that ends years of accusations against Syrian Kurds. Still, she struck a cautious tone, noting that the real test lies ahead with technical committees now tasked with implementing the deal. Referencing the Iraqi Kurdish experience, Ahmed said, 'We view the Kurdistan Region as an important model — but one rooted in a very different context. The reality of Rojava, and indeed Syria's entire social fabric, differs significantly from Iraq's.' She emphasized that other international models are also under study.
