US Military Support for Iraq's Kurdistan Region to Continue Despite Expiring Security Agreement

A security co-operation agreement between the US and Iraq’s Kurdistan Region is set to expire at the end of September, but Kurdish officials have assured The National that this will not sever ties between Erbil and Washington, addressing recent reports that US assistance had been suspended.

Initially signed in 2016, the agreement was designed to support the reform and unification of the Peshmerga forces. The upcoming expiration on September 30 aligns with troop withdrawals from Iraq by the US and other members of the anti-ISIS coalition.

“The expiration of the current agreement should not be interpreted as an end to the strategic partnership or co-operation between the US and the Kurdistan Region,” stated Noreldin Waisy, spokesman for KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani. He emphasized that the Peshmerga remain trusted partners in counter-terrorism efforts, providing a solid foundation for ongoing security collaboration.

An updated framework established in September 2022 outlined four additional years of US support, focusing on counter-ISIS operations and professionalizing Kurdish forces. Mr Waisy noted that future discussions could lead to a new framework governing US assistance, reaffirming the KRG's commitment to strengthening regional security and stability alongside Washington.

Another Kurdish official clarified that the conclusion of funding should not be mistaken for a halt in military assistance, noting that co-operation will persist through training, military advice, logistics, institutional reform, and capacity-building. The Peshmerga, which remain divided between units loyal to the Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, continue to face efforts toward a unified command.

“The phasing out of this funding has been under discussion for some time and is linked to the wider transition of the US-led coalition mission in Iraq,” the official explained, adding that Kurdish representatives actively participated in these talks regarding future bilateral relations.

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al Zaidi confirmed that the US-led military coalition is preparing to withdraw its troops from the Kurdistan Region and transfer bases to Iraqi forces before the September 30 deadline, a timeline agreed upon by Baghdad and Washington in 2024 to transition toward bilateral security co-operation.

Germany's military mission to Iraq officially concluded last week, marking another departure from the Kurdistan Region as part of the coalition's broader exit from the country.