, image = Zeravani logo.png , caption = Zeravani logo , dates = 1997–2006 (as Kurdish forces)
2006–present (Kurdistan Regional Government) , country = , allegiance =

Kurdistan Regional Government The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) ( ku, حکوومەتی هەرێمی کوردستان, ''Hikûmetî Herêmî Kurdistan'') is the official executive body of the autonomous Kurdistan Region of northern Iraq. The cabinet is selected by the m ...

, branch =

Peshmerga The Peshmerga ( ku, پێشمەرگه, Pêşmerge, lit=those who face death) is the Kurdish military forces of the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq. According to the Constitution of Iraq, the Peshmerga, along with their security subsidiaries, ...

, role =

Gendarmerie Wrong info! --> A gendarmerie () is a military force with law enforcement duties among the civilian population. The term ''gendarme'' () is derived from the medieval French expression ', which translates to " men-at-arms" (literally, ...

Kurdistan Region Kurdistan Region ( ku, هەرێمی کوردستان, translit=Herêmî Kurdistan; ar, إقليم كردستان), abbr. KRI, is an autonomous region in Iraq comprising the four Kurdish-majority governorates of Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, Duhok, ...

Iraq Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...

, size = 120,000–200,000 active
250,000 reservistsWilling to face Death: A History of Kurdish militia Forces – the Peshmerga – from the Ottoman Empire to Present-Day Iraq
, Michael G. Lortz , command_structure = , garrison =

Zakho Zakho, also spelled Zaxo ( ku, زاخۆ, Zaxo, syr, ܙܵܟ݂ܘܿ, Zākhō, , ) is a city in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, at the centre of the eponymous Zakho District of the Dohuk Governorate, located a few kilometers from the Iraq–Turkey bo ...

, garrison_label = , nickname = Zerevani , patron = , motto = , colors = , colors_label = , march = , mascot = , equipment = , equipment_label = , battles = *

War in Iraq (2013–2017) The War in Iraq was an armed conflict between Iraq and its allies and the Islamic State (also known as ISIS or ISIL) which began in 2013 and ended in December 2017. Following December 2013, the insurgency escalated into full-scale guerrilla warf ...

* Syrian Civil War , anniversaries = , decorations = , battle_honours = , commander2 = Major General Aziz Weysi Bani , commander2_label = Commander , notable_commanders = Zeravani Commandos

The Zerevani ( ku, زێرەڤانی, Zêrevanî, meaning "Guard" or "Guardian") (or Zeravani, sometimes Zeravani Army) are the militarized

police The police are a constituted body of persons empowered by a state, with the aim to enforce the law, to ensure the safety, health and possessions of citizens, and to prevent crime and civil disorder. Their lawful powers include arrest and t ...

force (described as a

gendarmerie Wrong info! --> A gendarmerie () is a military force with law enforcement duties among the civilian population. The term ''gendarme'' () is derived from the medieval French expression ', which translates to " men-at-arms" (literally, ...

by some) operated by

and the

Iraqi Government The federal government of Iraq is defined under the current Constitution, approved in 2005, as an Islamic, democratic, federal parliamentary republic. The federal government is composed of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches, as wel ...

Organization and Mission

The Zeravani are under the operational control of the Kurdish Ministry of the Interior but are a part of the

(armed forces), and provide security for government and industrial property and support to civilian police & the military. 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. The Zeravani were established in 1997 by the KDP in order to support the police and Asaysh forces; according to Major General Aziz Waisi, the Zeravani's role over the years expanded to also protect electricity stations and water resources, as well as embassies, consulates, government offices and other sensitive targets. According to Stratfor, as of 2004 two Zeravani divisions (totaling 30,000 troops) were established in the

Iraqi Federal Police The Iraqi Police (IP) is the uniformed police force responsible for the enforcement of civil law in Iraq. Its organisation, structure and recruitment were guided by the Coalition Provisional Authority after the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and it is ...

. In 2011, the Zeravani strength was of 47,000, while as of 2017, Zeravani strength is of 51,000; among these, there are several

Iraqi Christians The Christians of Iraq are considered to be one of the oldest continuous Christian communities in the world. The vast majority of Iraqi Christians are indigenous Eastern Aramaic-speaking ethnic Assyrians who claim descent from ancient Assyria, ...

. Zeravani accepts recruits aged between 18 and 27. They need to provide an Iraqi national ID and food coupons, to be literate, to have a clean record and a recommendation in terms of moral and loyalty issues; women are allowed to serve.

Issues

In June 2008, the Zeravani were the subject of an

Amnesty International Amnesty International (also referred to as Amnesty or AI) is an international non-governmental organization focused on human rights, with its headquarters in the United Kingdom. The organization says it has more than ten million members and sup ...

campaign after the alleged kidnap of a Kurdish journalist. According to Canadian website
McLeans.ca
', the Zeravani are considered loyal to the ruling

Kurdistan Democratic Party The Kurdistan Democratic Party ( ku, Partiya Demokrat a Kurdistanê; پارتی دیموکراتی کوردستان), usually abbreviated as KDP or PDK, is the largest party in Iraqi Kurdistan and the senior partner in the Kurdistan Regional Gov ...

; according to Major General Aziz Waisi, all political activities are forbidden within the Zeravani, although party membership is allowed.

International training and operations

In November 2009, the Zerevani began training conducted alongside the

, in order to conduct effective police work and counter-insurgency operations. Since 2014, also the Zeravani have undergone training with the

Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF–OIR) is a multinational military formation established by the U.S.-led international coalition against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) with the stated aim to "d ...

. The Zerevani training is conducted primarily by the

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...

Carabinieri The Carabinieri (, also , ; formally ''Arma dei Carabinieri'', "Arm of Carabineers"; previously ''Corpo dei Carabinieri Reali'', "Royal Carabineers Corps") are the national gendarmerie of Italy who primarily carry out domestic and foreign polic ...

, but also by Canadian, British, German, Dutch, Norwegian, Finnish and Hungarian forces. As of 2016, the Zerevani were also trained by Italian Army A Zeravani division led by Colonel Abu Rish was fighting against ISIS near Mosul during summer 2015; in 2016 the Zeravani, according to Colonel Abdularrahman Hassan, still occupied frontline positions around Mosul.

Current equipment of the Peshmerga

Because Zerevani forces were low on equipment when they began training, the

army donated some of their weapons to the Zerevani. The

set them up a base and allowed them to buy their own weapons. They are usually armed with

AKM The AKM () is an assault rifle designed by Soviet small arms designer Mikhail Kalashnikov in 1959. It is the most ubiquitous rifle of the Kalashnikov rifles. It was developed as a replacement to the AK-47 introduced a decade prior. Introduc ...

RPK The RPK (russian: Ручной пулемёт Калашникова/РПК, Ruchnoy Pulemyot Kalashnikova, link=no, English: "Kalashnikov hand-held machine gun"), sometimes retroactively termed the RPK-47, is a Soviet 7.62×39mm light machine ...

s (light

Soviet The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...

machine guns) and

DShK The DShK 1938 (Cyrillic: ДШК, for russian: Дегтярёва-Шпагина Крупнокалиберный, Degtyaryova-Shpagina Krupnokaliberny, links=no, "Degtyaryov-Shpagin large-calibre") is a Soviet heavy machine gun with a V-shaped but ...

s (heavy Soviet machine guns). Some Zervani companies are however armed with American rifles (

M4A1 The M4 carbine (officially Carbine, Caliber 5.56 mm, M4) is a 5.56×45mm NATO, gas-operated, magazine-fed carbine developed in the United States during the 1980s. It is a shortened version of the M16A2 assault rifle. The M4 is extensively ...

and

M16 The M16 rifle (officially designated Rifle, Caliber 5.56 mm, M16) is a family of military rifles adapted from the ArmaLite AR-15 rifle for the United States military. The original M16 rifle was a 5.56×45mm automatic rifle with a 20-roun ...

) * Individual Weapons ** Assault Rifle ***

(Assault Rifle – 7.62×39mm) ***

Zastava M92 The M92 is a carbine developed and manufactured by Zastava Arms Zastava Arms ( sr-Cyrl-Latn, Застава oружје, Zastava oružje) is a Serbian manufacturer of firearms and artillery, based in Kragujevac, Serbia. It was founded in 1853 ...

(Assault Rifle – 7.62×39mm) ***

AK-74 The AK-74 (Russian: , tr. ''Avtomat Kalashnikova obraztsa 1974 goda'', lit. 'Kalashnikov assault rifle model 1974) is an assault rifle designed by small arms designer Mikhail Kalashnikov in 1974. While primarily associated with the Soviet U ...

(Assault Rifle – 5.45×39mm) ***

Heckler & Koch G3 The Heckler & Koch G3 (''Gewehr'' 3) is a 7.62×51mm NATO, select-fire battle rifle developed in the 1950s by the German armament manufacturer Heckler & Koch (H&K) in collaboration with the Spanish state-owned design and development agency CET ...

(Battle Rifle – 7.62×51mm) ***

(Assault Rifle – 5.56×45mm) ***

(Assault Rifle/Carbine – 5.56×45mm) ** Sniper Rifle ***

SVD Dragunov The SVD (russian: Сна́йперская Винто́вка систе́мы Драгуно́ва образца́ 1963 года, lit=Sniper Rifle, System of Dragunov, Model of the Year 1963, translit=Snáyperskaya Vintóvka sistém'y Dragunóv ...

(Sniper Rifle – 7.62×54mmR) *** M-40A1 (Sniper Rifle – 7.62×51mm) ***

Barrett M82 The Barrett M82 (standardized by the U.S. military as the M107) is a recoil-operated, semi-automatic anti-materiel rifle developed by the American company Barrett Firearms Manufacturing. Also called the Light Fifty (due to its chambering of ...

A1 (Sniper Rifle – 12.7×99mm) ***

Tabuk Sniper Rifle The Tabuk Sniper Rifle is an Iraqi Semi-automatic designated marksman's rifle, made from a modified version of the Zastava M70 assault rifle. The Tabuk Rifle was manufactured at the Al-Qadissiya Establishments in IraqM-24 SWS (Sniper Rifle – 7.62×51mm ) ***

Dragunov SVU The OTs-03 SVU (russian: Снайперская винтовка укороченная, , Sniper Rifle Shortened) is a bullpup designated marksman rifle. The SVU was developed to meet the needs of the security forces of the Russian Ministry of I ...

(Sniper Rifle – 7.62×54mmR) ***

Zastava M91 The Zastava M91 is a semi-automatic designated marksman rifle chambered in 7.62×54mmR, developed and manufactured by Zastava Arms company in Kragujevac, Serbia. Like its predecessor, the Zastava M76, the M91 is internally based upon an elongated ...

(Sniper Rifle – 7.62×54mmR) *** PSG1 (Sniper Rifle – 7.62×51mm) ** Anti-Tank Explosive ***

RPG-7 The RPG-7 (russian: link=no, РПГ-7, Ручной Противотанковый Гранатомёт, Ruchnoy Protivotankoviy Granatomyot) is a portable, reusable, unguided, shoulder-launched, anti-tank, rocket-propelled grenade launcher. ...

(rocket-propelled grenade launcher – 40 mm) ***

RPG-29 The RPG-29 "Vampir" (Russian for "vampire") is a Soviet reusable rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) launcher. Adopted by the Soviet Army in 1989, it was the last RPG to be adopted by the Soviet military before the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. T ...

(rocket-propelled grenade launcher – 105 mm) ***

AT4 The AT4 is a Swedish unguided, man-portable, disposable, shoulder-fired recoilless anti-tank weapon built by Saab Bofors Dynamics (previously Bofors Anti-Armour Systems and before that FFV Ordance). The AT4 is not considered a rocket launc ...

(rocket-propelled grenade launcher – 84 mm) ***

AT-4 Spigot The 9K111 ''Fagot'' (russian: Фагот; "bassoon") is a second-generation tube-launched semi-automatic command to line of sight (SACLOS) wire-guided anti-tank missile system of the Soviet Union for use from ground or vehicle mounts. The 9K111 F ...

(rocket-propelled grenade launcher – 120 mm) * Vehicles ** Main Battle Tank ***

T-34 The T-34 is a Soviet medium tank introduced in 1940. When introduced its 76.2 mm (3 in) tank gun was less powerful than its contemporaries while its 60-degree sloped armour provided good protection against Anti-tank warfare, anti-tan ...

- 11 Tanks inherited from the

Mahabad Republic The Republic of Mahabad or the Republic of Kurdistan ( ku, کۆماری کوردستان / Komara Kurdistanê; fa, جمهوری مهاباد) was a short-lived Kurdish self-governing unrecognized state in present-day Iran, from 22 January to 1 ...

- destroyed in 1965-66. ***

M4 Sherman } The M4 Sherman, officially Medium Tank, M4, was the most widely used medium tank by the Military history of the United States during World War II, United States and Allies of World War II, Western Allies in World War II. The M4 Sherman prove ...

- 3 Tanks captured from Iranian Army in 1946 - destroyed in 1965-66. ***

M47 Patton The M47 Patton was an American main battle tank, a development of the M46 Patton mounting an updated turret, and was in turn further developed as the M48 Patton. It was the second American tank to be named after General George S. Patton, command ...

- 8 Tanks (originally Iranian) captured from Iraqi Army in 1991 ***

T-54/T-55 The T-54 and T-55 tanks are a series of Soviet main battle tanks introduced in the years following the World War II, Second World War. The first T-54 prototype was completed at Nizhny Tagil by the end of 1945.Steven Zaloga, T-54 and T-55 Mai ...

- 21 Tanks captured from the

Iraqi Army The Iraqi Ground Forces (Arabic: القوات البرية العراقية), or the Iraqi Army (Arabic: الجيش العراقي), is the ground force component of the Iraqi Armed Forces. It was known as the Royal Iraqi Army up until the coup ...

in 1991 and 27 Tanks captured from the

in 2003. 8 Tanks destroyed during the 1990s and 6 Tanks destroyed in the fight against ISISMiddle East Military Balance
***

T-62 The T-62 is a Soviet Union, Soviet main battle tank that was first introduced in 1961. As a further development of the T-54/T-55, T-55 series, the T-62 retained many similar design elements of its predecessor including low profile and thick ...

- 16 Tanks captured from

Mosul Mosul ( ar, الموصل, al-Mawṣil, ku, مووسڵ, translit=Mûsil, Turkish: ''Musul'', syr, ܡܘܨܠ, Māwṣil) is a major city in northern Iraq, serving as the capital of Nineveh Governorate. The city is considered the second large ...

in 2003. ***

T-72 The T-72 is a family of Soviet/Russian main battle tanks that entered production in 1969. The T-72 was a development of the T-64, which was troubled by high costs and its reliance on immature developmental technology. About 25,000 T-72 tanks ha ...

- 17 Tanks captured in 1991 (5 destroyed in 1992 and 4 destroyed in fight against ISIS) ** Military trucks ***

GAZ-66 The GAZ-66 is a Soviet and later Russian 4x4 all-road (off-road) military truck produced by GAZ. It was one of the main cargo vehicles for motorized infantry of the Soviet Army and is still employed in former Soviet Union countries. It is nickna ...

(4×4 2-tons) ***

Humvee The High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV; colloquial: Humvee) is a family of light, four-wheel drive, military trucks and utility vehicles produced by AM General. It has largely supplanted the roles previously performed by the ori ...

** Pickup trucks ***

Toyota Hilux The , stylized as HiLux and historically as Hi-Lux, is a series of pickup trucks produced and marketed by the Japanese automobile manufacturer Toyota. The majority of these vehicles are sold as pickup truck or cab chassis variants, although they ...

(4×4 "4Runner") ***

Nissan Titan The Nissan Titan is a full-size pickup truck manufactured in the United States for the North American market by Nissan. It was named for the Titans of Greek mythology. __TOC__ First generation (A60; 2003) Development of the Titan began in ...

*** Defender-110Shapir, Yiftah S., Middle East Military Balance, Tel Aviv University, 6, 7
** Anti-Aircraft Gun ***

ZU-23-2 The ZU-23-2, also known as ZU-23, is a Soviet towed 23×152mm anti-aircraft twin-barreled autocannon. ZU stands for ''Zenitnaya Ustanovka'' (Russian: Зенитная Установка) – anti-aircraft mount. The GRAU index is 2A13. Developm ...

- 16 pieces captured from

in 1991. ***

85 mm air defense gun M1939 (52-K) The 85 mm air defense gun M1939 (52-K) (russian: 85-мм зенитная пушка обр. 1939 г. (52-К)) was an Soviet anti-aircraft gun, developed under guidance of leading Soviet designers M. N. Loginov and G. D. Dorokhin. This ...

- 10 pieces inherited from the

Republic of Mahabad The Republic of Mahabad or the Republic of Kurdistan ( ku, کۆماری کوردستان / Komara Kurdistanê; fa, جمهوری مهاباد) was a short-lived Kurdish self-governing unrecognized state in present-day Iran, from 22 January to 1 ...

and 18 further pieces donated by the

Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...

in 1961-62. ***

AZP S-60 AZP S-60 (russian: Автоматическая зенитная пушка С-60, abbrev. АЗП (AZP); literally: ''Automatic anti-aircraft gun S-60'') is a Soviet towed, road-transportable, short- to medium-range, single-barrel anti-aircraft ...

57 mm Guns - 12 pieces donated by the

in 1957 and 1963, 18 pieces captured from

in 1991 and 24 pieces in 2003. ***

ZSU-23-4 The ZSU-23-4 "Shilka" is a lightly armored Soviet self-propelled, radar-guided anti-aircraft weapon system (SPAAG). Etymology The acronym "ZSU" stands for ''Zenitnaya Samokhodnaya Ustanovka'' (russian: Зенитная Самоходная Ус� ...

- 21 pieces captured from

in 2003.

References

{{Security (Kurdistan Regional Government) , state=expanded Law enforcement in Iraq Kurdistan Region (Iraq) Gendarmerie Military units and formations established in 2006 2006 establishments in Iraqi Kurdistan

Organization and Mission

Issues

International training and operations

Current equipment of the Peshmerga

See also

References