US plans to cut security aid to Kurdish Peshmerga in Iraq
The Pentagon has told Iraqi and Kurdish leaders it will not renew a security assistance deal with Kurdish Peshmerga forces, expiring September 30th.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
The United States is planning to end security assistance to Kurdish Peshmerga forces in Iraq, according to an exclusive report from BBC News. Multiple officials and sources with direct knowledge of the matter have said the Pentagon has informed Iraqi and Kurdish leaders that it will not renew a memorandum of understanding that has provided military support to the Peshmerga for a decade.
The Peshmerga, the official Kurdish security forces, have been a key US ally in the fight against ISIS, serving on the front line alongside coalition troops in Iraq and parts of Syria. The funding under the current agreement expires on September 30th, the same day that US and other coalition forces are scheduled to withdraw from Iraq as part of the end of the ISIS campaign.
Iran has recently launched attacks against the Kurdish region, and US officials and other sources warn that cutting off assistance could have major consequences for the Iraqi Kurds and the wider region. The Peshmerga have relied on US support for equipment, training, and salaries, and the loss of this aid could weaken their ability to defend Kurdish areas and maintain stability.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | BBC News |
|---|---|
| The Pentagon told Iraqi and Kurdish leaders it will not renew the security assistance memorandum for the Peshmerga, with funding expiring on September 30th, the same day as US withdrawal from Iraq. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
BBC News focused on the exclusive nature of the report, citing multiple officials and sources. It highlighted the strategic implications for the Kurdish region and the broader Middle East, including the threat from Iran and the coincidence of the aid cutoff with the US withdrawal from Iraq.
- “The US is planning to cut off security assistance to allied Kurdish security forces in Iraq.”
- “I've been told by multiple officials as well as other sources with direct knowledge of the matter that the Pentagon has indicated to Iraqi and Kurdish leaders that it is not planning to renew a memorandum of understanding which provided security assistance to a key US ally in the Middle East that helped America fight ISIS and that is now under attack from Iran.”
- “This funding expires on September 30th, the same day that the US and other forces from around the world are pulling out of Iraq from that ISIS campaign.”
Broadcast Timeline
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