President Masoud Barzani 60 years of being a Peshmerga

[Anthea]

Peshmerga adopting common uniform

The Kurdistan Region's Ministry of Peshmerga announced on Tuesday that the decision to adopt a standard uniform for all Peshmerga units would be implemented

"The reform authority in the ministry and the international coalition supervised a meeting of the Multi-National Advisory Group and the Reform Directorate," read a ministry statement. The meeting "discussed all projects of the reform process, especially the three projects related to medical, logistics, and the uniformity of uniforms."

The statement noted that "during the meeting, it was decided that adopting a standard Peshmerga uniform would be discussed as soon and a decision would be issued to implement it, which was postponed for a while for financial reasons."

The Netherlands, the US, the UK, and Germany, leading members of the US-led coalition against ISIS – are all supporting the project to bring the Kurdistan Region's Peshmerga forces under a unified and non-partisan command.

There are an estimated 200,000 Peshmerga in the Kurdistan Region. Unifying the forces has been a key goal of the ministry over the past decade. Most Peshmerga are aligned and under the direct command of either the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) or the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK).

https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/story/28 ... its-forces

[Anthea]

President Masoud Barzani

60 years as a Peshmerga

Friday the 20th of May marked President Masoud Barzani’s 60th anniversary as a Peshmerga, his office announced

On May 20, 1962, the President of Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) Masoud Barzani was sworn into the Peshmerga forces, fighting in the well-known Kurdish revolt – the September Revolution – against the former Iraqi regime.

“The President’s 60-year consistent of his service to Peshmerga is a torch of struggle and resistance,” Barzani Headquarters wrote in a statement.

President Barzani saluted all the martyrs and members of Peshmerga forces in a tweet marking the occasion on Friday.

In 2005, he became Iraq’s Kurdistan Region's president and held the position until 2017. In the difficult years after 2003, when Iraq was undergoing severe civil strife, he spearheaded the region’s development.

Barzani has said on numerous occasions that he is “still a Peshmerga,” even after years of holding the Kurdistan Region Presidency.

The Kurdish independence referendum, which more than 90 percent of inhabitants voted in favor of, was led and orchestrated by Barzani.

Born on August 16, 1946, in Mahabad in Iranian Kurdistan, Barzani has been a remarkable figure in the Kurdish struggle for autonomy.

He is the son of the late Mustafa Barzani. Mustafa Barzani spearheaded the September Revolution, forcing the Iraqi government to recognize the Kurdish nation’s cultural and political rights for the first time in the history of the country.

https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/story/28 ... erga%C2%A0

[Anthea]

Masoud Barzani re-elected KDP president

The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) on Thursday re-elected Masoud Barzani as the party’s president, with Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani reappointed as his first deputy, and Prime Minister Masrour Barzani elected as his second deputy

The 14th KDP congress commenced in the city of Duhok on Thursday, and is set to continue for the next two days. It is the first time the KDP has held a congress since December 2010, the longest the party has ever gone without holding the meeting.

“On this occasion, I congratulate all members and supporters of the KDP and the people of Kurdistan,” read a statement from the party’s leader earlier in the day, adding that he hopes “the results and tasks of the 14th KDP congress serve the high interest of our people.”

KDP bylaws state that a congress should be held once every four years - though this interval has not once been adhered to since the party's foundation.

Masoud Barzani said that no matter what position he holds, he will stay as a Peshmerga for good.

"I am not among those people who desire to stay as presidents or officials until they die. I wish there was an atmosphere in the [Kurdistan] Region and the region that could allow me to ask you to give me permission [to quit]. Every beginning has an ending," he noted.

Before the coronavirus outbreak, KDP officials said a congress would be held by the end of 2020 but the plans were put on hold due to the global pandemic.

The KDP is the Kurdistan Region's largest party, holding 45 seats in the Region’s parliament, and top government positions, including president, prime minister and deputy parliament speaker.

The party also has the largest parliamentary bloc of the Kurdish component in the Iraqi parliament with 31 seats. It currently holds the post of Iraq’s foreign minister in PM Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani’s cabinet, and is expected to get at least one more ministry in the upcoming weeks.

Nechirvan Barzani expressed his happiness to be suggested by the party leader to become his first deputy.

"We see that the KDP has always been successful. We have to maintain this unity at any cost," he said.

He also said that women should be given practical role in the KDP.

"I am very glad to see that women participation in the 14th congress has grown but this should be reflected in the KDP's work. The KDP should pave the way for women to have more participation in the government," he said.

https://www.rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/03112022

[Anthea]

KDP survives political threats

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – President Masoud Barzani, the leader of Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) on Sunday during the last day of the KDP’s 14th congress underlined that rival parties tried to undermine the KDP but failed

“Although some political parties tried to undermine and split our party, but they failed,” Barzani said, amidst political disputes between the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and the KDP.

Moreover, he added that it was a mistake that no Yezidi’s were selected in the KDP’s central committee. “This issue must be resolved even if it doesn’t fit to our party’s internal procedures.”

“Allow me to resolve this issue, because it’s an honor for our party to have Yezidis among our central committee members,” he added.

The KDP is the largest Kurdish political party in Iraq and held it’s 14th Congress between Nov. 3 -Nov. 6.

During the Congress, the KDP unanimously reelected Masoud Barzani as the KDP's president.

I’m humbled by the trust of President @masoud_barzani and the support of Vice President Kak Nechirvan Barzani.

On this day — during our 14th party congress — we reaffirm our founding creed laid down by the great Mala Mustafa Barzani.

I will always stay true to his legacy -mb. pic.twitter.com/dUHONEfXh1
— Masrour Barzani (@masrourbarzani) November 3, 2022

Moreover, Prime Minister Masrour Barzani and President Nechirvan Barzani were appointed as vice-presidents of the KDP.

“I’m humbled by the trust of President Masoud Barzani and the support of Vice President Kak Nechirvan Barzani,” PM Masrour Barzani said in a tweet on Nov. 3.

“On this day — during our 14th party congress — we reaffirm our founding creed laid down by the great Mala Mustafa Barzani. I will always stay true to his legacy,” he added.

https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/story/29 ... ne-the-KDP