US prepares to end military aid to Peshmerga

It has been learned that the US administration is considering ending the military support it has provided to the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) for many years as it withdraws its military presence in Iraq as of September 30. With the current agreement set to expire and not be renewed, Peshmerga forces may be deprived of American aid.

Sources close to the matter reported that the US Department of Defense (Pentagon) informed KRG officials in recent meetings that the military aid program for the Peshmerga would not continue. The current security cooperation memorandum is set to expire on September 30, when coalition troops will fully withdraw from Iraq. Consequently, the 61 million dollars in aid provided for military training, weapons, and salary payments for the Peshmerga will also come to an end.

The American administration cites the fact that ISIS has been largely neutralized as the reason for this decision. The Pentagon argues that in future budget planning, funds allocated for the fight against ISIS should be diverted to other areas.

This development has caused concern on the KRG front. Officials and some analysts have warned that the power vacuum that will emerge in the region with the withdrawal of the international coalition could increase the activities of, in particular, Iranian-backed groups. It is noted that the US presence has played a balancing role in the region through the Peshmerga.

The US side, however, states that a final decision has not yet been made and that the evaluation process is ongoing. A Pentagon official noted that different alternatives regarding cooperation with Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government are also on the table. Following the meeting between US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaydi in July, the following statement was made: “The US, Iraq, and Coalition partners have achieved great success in defeating ISIS, and now the Iraqi Security Forces, including the Peshmerga and other Kurdistan Region security forces, will lead the fight against terrorists in Iraq.”

The State Department spokesperson said that in the period following the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq, they are focused on protecting Iraq's sovereignty and “ensuring that Prime Minister Zaydi is positioned to disarm pro-Iranian terrorist militias and protect Iraq's sovereignty.”

With the cutting of American aid, the US military base in Erbil is also expected to be closed next month. Thus, for the first time, Peshmerga forces will attempt to ensure regional security without direct military support from the US.