Erbil warns Baghdad against any move on Peshmerga forces

ERBIL, Iraq — Kurdish political circles in Erbil said any intervention targeting the Peshmerga forces would be seen as an intervention against the region itself. The warning came as the Iraqi government moves to bring weapons under state control and integrate armed groups into official security institutions, reopening questions over the Peshmerga’s status. Kurdish կողմs said the Peshmerga is a constitutional institution recognized under Iraq’s federal system and rejected treating it in the same way as other armed groups. While Kurdish parties support Prime Minister Ali Zeydi’s steps to regulate the weapons file, they do not want the Peshmerga included in merger or dissolution plans being discussed in Baghdad. Political circles in Erbil said any move touching the Peshmerga’s legal structure could trigger a new debate over relations between Erbil and Baghdad. They also said it could affect the federal balance in Iraq.