Zeravani

Zeravani
Active 2006–present
Country Iraqi Kurdistan
Allegiance Kurdistan Regional Government
Branch Peshmerga
Role Gendarmerie of Iraqi Kurdistan
Size

120,000 active
250,000 reservists

[1][2]
Garrison/HQ Zakho
Nickname(s) Zerevani
Engagements Iraqi Civil War

The Zerevani[3] (Central Kurdish: زێرەڤانی‎ Zêrevanî) (or Zeravani,[4] sometimes Zeravani Army[5]) are the militarised police force (described as a gendarmerie by some[4]) operated by the Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq. They are under the control of the Kurdish Ministry of the Interior but are a part of the Peshmerga (armed forces), and provide security for government and industrial property and support to civilian police & the military.[5][6] They were the subject of an Amnesty campaign in June 2008 after the alleged kidnap of a Kurdish journalist.[6] In November 2009, they began training (conducted by the Italian Carabinieri) alongside the Iraqi Federal Police;[3] since 2014, also the Zeravani have undergone training with the Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve. A Zeravani division led by Colonel Abu Rish was fighting against ISIS near Mosul during summer 2015.[7]

The first Commanding Chief of Zerevani was Faridun Jwanroyi, Fraydoon resigned in 2010 and Aziz Weysi Bani was assigned as the Major General of the Zerevani.

Current equipment of the Peshmerga

Because Zerevani forces were low on equipment when they began training, the Peshmerga army donated some of their weapons to the Zerevani. The Kurdistan Regional Government set them up a base and allowed them to buy their own weapons. They are usually armed with AKMs, RPKs (light Soviet machine guns) and DShKs (heavy Soviet machine guns). Some Zervani companies are however armed with American rifles ( M4A1 and M16 )

See also

References

  1. ↑ Dortkardes, İhsan (2007-07-20). "Barzani: Düzenli ordu yakında". Milliyet (in Kurdish). Retrieved 2008-06-06.
  2. ↑ Willing to face Death: A History of Kurdish militia Forces - the Peshmerga - from the Ottoman Empire to Present-Day Iraq Archived October 29, 2013, at the Wayback Machine., Michael G. Lortz
  3. 1 2 "Kurdish Zerevani and Arab Policemen Graduate Training and Break Down Barriers". NATO Training Mission-Iraq. 11 December 2009. Retrieved 3 January 2010.
  4. 1 2 "A hint of harmony, at last". The Economist. 3 December 2009. Retrieved 3 January 2010.
  5. 1 2 Khidhir, Qassim (27 February 2007). "Zeravani Army is guardian of Kurdistan Region Capital". The Kurdish Globe. p. 16. Retrieved 3 January 2010.
  6. 1 2 "Archived copy". Archived from the original on June 12, 2011. Retrieved January 3, 2010.
  7. ↑ News, Vice (11 June 2015). "Cutting The Islamic State's Supply Lines: The Road To Mosul". VICE NewsGlobe. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
  8. ↑ U.S. Department of Defense, Measuring Stability and Security in Iraq (June 2007) p.30, p.39 p.30
  9. 1 2 Middle East Military Balance Archived August 24, 2008, at the Wayback Machine.
  10. ↑ Iraq’s T-72s: Payment Received
  11. ↑ Holdanwicz, Grzegorz. "Iraqi armed forces get armoured vehicles". Jane's Defence Weekly
  12. ↑ Shapir, Yiftah S., Middle East Military Balance, Tel Aviv University, 6, 7 Archived August 24, 2008, at the Wayback Machine.
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