US Halts Military Aid to Iraqi Kurdistan Amid Troop Withdrawal

According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, sources familiar with the matter have revealed that the U.S. government under President Donald Trump intends to cease military aid to a crucial Middle Eastern ally. The U.S. Department of Defense has informed officials affiliated with the Kurdistan Region of Iraq that the administration does not plan to renew a security assistance agreement that provides resources to the Peshmerga forces.

Officials in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq have expressed concern that the termination of this funding could create a power vacuum. Analysts suggest that ending security assistance to the Peshmerga, a long-standing American partner in Iraq, will weaken a key ally and send a message to other U.S. partners in the region regarding Washington’s reliability.

The memorandum of understanding between the U.S. Department of Defense and the Kurdistan Regional Government is scheduled to conclude on September 30. This date coincides with the planned withdrawal of U.S. and coalition forces from Iraq. The sole remaining U.S. military base in Iraq, located in Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region, is slated for closure next month following the departure of coalition troops.

In 2026, the Peshmerga forces, comprising approximately 180,000 personnel in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, received $61 million through a U.S. Department of Defense program for arms procurement and military training.