Kurdish Fighters Struggle to Pay Bills

“The peshmerga forces were supposed to be treated as part of the Iraqi national defense system. They should have been equipped, armed and trained. But none of that happened in the last 10 years,’’ Mustafa told Al-Monitor.

He explained that the KRG receives 17% of the country’s share of the budget and oil exports. The peshmerga, as part of the Iraqi military, should have been paid from the national defense budget. However, because Baghdad does not pay them, the KRG is forced to pay the peshmerga from its own budget.

Mustafa added, “As a result of the current situation, we are months behind in payment. We just gave them their salaries for May. And their salary is half of what an Iraqi soldier gets. That’s why we are extra proud of all the peshmerga fighters who defend the KRG with their heart and soul.”

On top of all this, the peshmerga soldiers are poorly equipped, often using old weapons with limited reach. However, due to a strong sense of honor and pride of being part of the peshmerga forces, they endure this situation, even though they have trouble supporting their families.

Some cannot even start a family due to financial problems, such as 30-year-old Seid Bishdar, who has been a peshmerga for over 12 years. Just like Zangana, he has an extra job in his brother’s company, buying and selling land.

“I make too little to ever get married,” he told Al-Monitor. “But being a peshmerga is an honorable job. I am doing this to defend my land, my country and my people.”

Zangana agreed and said that even if he didn’t get paid at all, he would still be a part of the peshmerga forces. According to him, it is the high morale that keeps them going.

"Not only the peshmerga, but all the people in the KRG would do anything to protect the world against IS. I would die for this cause,” Zangana said.

Beri Shalmashi contributed reporting to this article.