Female snipers set sights on ISIS targets
Female snipers from various nations have been notoriously present in various conflicts since World War II, some with devastating effect.
Kurdistan
Foreign volunteer soldiers in Syria and Iraq: The end of an era
The proverbial gravy train had to get to the end of the line sometime, right? I’m talking about being a volunteer fighter in Kurdistan—an end of an era.
Amnesty International’s Horribly Wrong Report on Ethnic Cleansing in Kurdistan
Amnesty International has accused the Kurds in both Rojava and Bashur of human-rights violations.
Interview With Former American Infantryman and Peshmerga Volunteer Battling ISIS
I caught up with my old volunteer buddy and wanted to get his perspective and reflections on the situation in Iraq and his time spent with the Peshmerga.
Watch Peshmerga, PKK, and U.S. SOF Take the Fight to ISIS
Watch video footage of Kurdish Peshmerga, PKK (Kurdistan Worker’s Party), and U.S. special operations forces side-by-side as they engage ISIS fighters south of Kirkuk in southern Kurdistan.
Wanted: Foreign Special Operations Troops to Join the U.S. in Targeting the Islamic State
MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. — Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter said Thursday that the United States has asked more countries to send Special Operations troops to join the fight against the Islamic State, and not just typical partners like Britain and Australia. Carter did not name the countries, but said “there are states […]
Fighting ISIS: A Look at the Handguns of the Kurdish Peshmerga
Basically, there are three handguns that you are most likely to see on a Peshmerga officer’s hip: a Glock 19, a Walther P1/P-38, or an HS2000.
After ISIS: Kurds Face Off With Out-of-Control Shia Militias
Officials from Baghdad and Washington are playing a fast-and-loose game of roulette by arming and empowering Shia militias throughout Iraq in a bid to hasten the eradication of Daesh.
Acquiring a Pistol in Kurdistan: No Easy Task
A pistol is more of a status symbol than a matter of practicality to the Kurds. That’s not to say they don’t serve a purpose, just not the way they do in the West.
In Remembrance: John Gallagher, Peshmerga and YPG Volunteer Fighter
John was the kind of guy who wasn’t afraid to stand by his ideals even if the world was against him. I learned this about him very quickly from early on. We first met early in 2015, in Daquq at the Peshmerga’s 9th Brigade. He seemed eager to get into the action and mix it […]
The Fate of FOB Warrior in Iraq
It’s been quite some time since the “end” of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and the point where the last of the U.S. military’s forces egressed out of their respective AOs. But the remnants of their time here can still be found from time to time. In particular, a large footprint can be found deep in Kirkuk, at […]
The Peshmerga and the AK-47, the World’s Most Enduring Rifle
Like most armies in this part of the world, the Peshmerga’s go-to weapon is the AK-47/AKM. Sure, they have the G36 and a few M16/M4s floating around (usually with officers), but the Kalashnikov is the name of the game. What makes it fascinating is the number of variants and origins that you can find in the […]
