Kurdistan

Airports in Kurdistan are to be re-opened by the Iraqi government

Haider al-Abadi, the Prime Minister for Iraq, has ordered the Kurdish Regional Government to allow the central Iraqi government to take control of Kurdistan’s airports on a federal level. This will be the first step in re-opening Kurdistan’s airports since their closure during the Kurdish independence referendum. Abadi stated, “Based on constitutional jurisprudence, the reopening of […]

Israel destroys Iranian drone and military targets in Syria

An Iranian drone was shot down over Israeli airspace on Saturday morning according to a statement made by the Israeli Defense Force. The IDF continued to simultaneously engage Iranian targets from within Syria via airstrikes near the city of Damascus; this was collaborated by Syrian media outlets as well. Local Syrian media was quoted saying […]

Operation Inherent Resolve Continues

In the once hotly contested region of Makhmour, Iraq the United States led coalition executed an airstrike on a position controlled by the Islamic State. The airstrike killed 7 militants who were, at the time, occupying a bunker located roughly 60km South of Kurdistan’s capital city, Erbil. Though the majority of Iraq and Kurdistan are under […]

Hashdt al-Shaabi to become official Iraqi military branch

Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, who is Commander in Chief of the Iraqi Armed Forces, issued a decree on March 8th that would grant all Hashdt al-Shaabi or PMF (Popular Mobilization Forces) militia members the same benefits as members of the Iraqi armed forces. Also, they would receive the same pay as military members under the Ministry […]

Turkish military forces lay siege to Afrin

Under the cover of heavy artillery and airstrikes, Turkish military forces have advanced to the outer reaches of Afrin. As of now, the central city is under siege and the outlying villages have been decimated by the shelling. Street fighting is still going on though and the Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces are not yielding under […]

Kurdish PDKI Peshmerga commander is assassinated

A Peshmerga commander affiliated to the PDKI (Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan), identified as Qadir Qadiri, was found dead on Wednesday in a village near the Kudish/Iranian border. The IPDK has claimed that Qadiri was assassinated by the Iranian government. Qadiri’s body was found in the village of Hartal according to Ibrahim Zewayee who is head of the […]

Iraq contemplates acquiring Russian S-400 air defense missile systems

The Iraqi government has just purchased a large order of Russian T-90 tanks but is now eyeballing their S-400 air defense missile systems as well. The Foreign Minister for Iraq, Ibrahim al-Jaafari, who made a recent trip to Russia stated, “The issue is being studied in every detail. All necessary decisions aimed at strengthening Iraq will be made […]

ISIS militants ambush Peshmerga during failed sheep heist

In the village of Kifri, just southeast of Erbil, members of the Islamic State attempted to kidnap a local shepherd and his flock of sheep on Friday afternoon. Local Kurdish security forces responded and a firefight ensued. The attack happened around 1500 and was committed by 8 military age males. Attacks and kidnappings like this are […]

The essentials of setting up a combat rig

Whether you’re running a chest rig or a plate carrier, there are some key features or additions that are going to remain requirements no matter what. I will readily admit that not everyone has the same needs for their gear but the following serves as a good rule of thumb. Magazines, communication, medical, and all […]

Car bomb in Kurdistan severely injures 2 Peshmerga

A bomb exploded in Erbil, Kurdistan yesterday around 4:00 pm local time in what appears to be a targeted attack. The bomb was placed under the chassis of a car belonging to two Peshmerga from PDKI (Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan) and was detonated remotely. The Peshmerga injured were a father and son and remain […]

The Kurdish PKK and what you need to know

The PKK (Kurdistan Workers Party) is an insurgent group with close ties to the YPG (People’s Protection Units) that conducts guerrilla based combat operations against Turkish military forces. They have been officially designated as a terrorist organization by NATO because of their continuous attacks on a NATO ally — Turkey. The PKK have roots in communism […]