Book - Peshmerga: A remarkable journey from guerrilla to soldier

ERBIL,— The Kurdistan Peshmerga forces have gone through several historical transitions throughout their history. One of these transformations was the transition from a resistance movement to an organized and professional army.

The Australian journalist Manish Rai is the author of the upcoming book titled “Peshmerga: A Remarkable Journey from Guerrilla to Soldier”; this book focuses on the shifts that have taken place.

During the course of the book, an in-depth analysis of the complex procedure that led to this shift has been discussed.

The Peshmerga transformation from being a guerrilla group to becoming a formal military organization that adheres to international principles and standards has been explained at length.

The author stresses that the Peshmerga has changed a lot, allowing them to better handle new threats. The author emphasized the institutional shifts that enhanced the Peshmerga’s ability to confront new threats.

Another important topic that is discussed in this book is an analysis of the significant role that the Peshmerga played in the fight against ISIS from 2014 to 2016, also ongoing counter terrorism operations of Peshmerga forces.

This period from 2014 to 2016 is presented by the author as a historical test of the professional modifications that the Peshmerga have undergone because of the difficult circumstances.

Furthermore, the author offers an objective review of the strategic challenges and tactical effectiveness that the Peshmerga are facing, in addition to addressing the wins that they have achieved.

The Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs (MOPA) in a statement mentioned that the author of the aforementioned book spent a considerable amount of time conducting significant field research in the Kurdistan Region prior to writing the book.

“Peshmerga: A Remarkable Journey from Guerrilla to Soldier” a book by Rai Manish, 2025. Photo: Rai

This study, according to the ministry, provides a new and more complete view on modern Kurdish and Iraqi issues, those related to the training of armed organizations and the difficulties of building security institutions in conflict zones.

Specifically, the ministry finds that this work offers a novel perspective on these areas. The ministry believes that it fills a substantial void in the collection of security and military studies that is accessible through the English library.