Table of Contents
What guns do peshmerga use?
Small arms
| Name | Country of origin (manufacturer) | Caliber |
|---|---|---|
| Dragunov sniper rifle | Soviet Union | 7.62×54mmR |
| PSL (rifle) | Socialist Republic of Romania | 7.62×54mmR |
| Tabuk Sniper Rifle | Iraq | 7.62×39mm |
| Mosin–Nagant | Soviet Union | 7.62×54mmR |
Where do the Kurds get their weapons?
Pentagon spokesman Major Adrian Rankine-Galloway said the Kurdish fighters received small arms and vehicles from the U.S. military. He believed the arms were distributed earlier on Tuesday.
How big is the Kurdish army?
| People’s Defense Units | |
|---|---|
| Allegiance | Kurdish Supreme Committee (2011–2013) Rojava (2013–present) |
| Type | Light infantry militia with several motorised battalions |
| Size | 135,000 (Including YPJ, 2017 estimate) |
| Part of | Syrian Democratic Forces |
Why do the Peshmerga have so many weapons?
Peshmerga forces largely rely on old arms captured from battles. The Peshmerga captured stockpiles of weapons during the 1991 Iraqi uprisings. Several stockpiles of weapons were captured from the old Iraqi Army during the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq, in which Peshmerga forces were active.
Why is the AK-47 so popular with Peshmerga?
The AK-47 is the standard assault rifle of the Peshmerga because of its low cost, durability, availability, and ease of use. The AK-47 was originally developed for use by the Soviets, but it quickly spread to other armies and irregular forces around the world. AK-47s are low weight, fairly effective, and easy to obtain.
Who are the Kurdish Peshmerga?
As the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) continues its blitz across northern and central Iraq, the Kurdish Peshmerga forces have emerged as the most credible military challenger to the jihadi threat.
Are the Peshmerga receiving enough military aid?
After the ISIS offensive of August 2014, multiple governments armed the Peshmerga with some light equipment such as light arms, night goggles, and ammunition. However, Kurdish officials and Peshmerga stressed that they were not receiving enough.