Barzani refuses to hand over Peshmerga and Asayish weapons to the federal government.
Independent Kurdish politician Didar Haval revealed on Friday that Masoud Barzani informed a US official of his refusal to hand over the Peshmerga and Asayish weapons to the federal government.
Haval told the Information Agency, “A US envoy asked Masoud Barzani to hand over the Peshmerga weapons to the federal government, but he refused this request. Washington’s move comes as it seeks to dissolve these forces and integrate them into a single security system.”
He added, “Masoud Barzani emphasized to the US envoy that the Peshmerga weapons represent the identity and symbol of the history and sacrifices of the Kurdish people, and are not merely a fighting arsenal. He also stressed that the region’s forces and security institutions are not subject to any plans to dissolve or merge the factions.”
He explained that “disagreements arose between the Trump administration and Masoud Barzani following the theft of a shipment of advanced American weapons intended for the Iranian opposition and their distribution to the Peshmerga forces, in addition to the fact that the Peshmerga forces did not participate with the Iranian opposition in striking inside Iran to overthrow its regime,” noting that “Barzani refused to include these forces in the “weapons control” projects of the federal government in Baghdad.”
He confirmed that “these are regular forces under the supervision of the regional presidency.”
Almaalomah.me