Historically, the 2nd Support Forces belonged to the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan's (PUK) Peshmerga, operating specifically within the 70 Unit.[6] However, in response to ongoing reform efforts within the Kurdistan Region's military sector, the unit was integrated into the MoPA in June 2021.[3] The unit's integration followed the earlier incorporation of the Kurdistan Democratic Party's (KDP) 1st Support Forces into the MoPA. Accoring to Col. Todd Burroughs, Deputy Director of the US-led coalition's Military Advisor Group North, the "unification of both 1st and 2nd Support Forces Commands under the MoPA is a significant step in the Peshmerga Reform process.”[4][7]
Structure
The exact size of the force is unclear, but together with the 1st Support Forces, they are estimated to number around 10,000 soldiers.[7]
Coalition advisors and Peshmergas of the 2nd Support Forces Command next to a vehicle mounted AA gun
According to the Pentagon's quarterly inspector general report to the U.S. Congress on August 1 2024, the MoPA's artillery capabilities reside within the 1st and 2nd Support Forces Commands. “Both commands have demonstrated proficiency in delivering accurate indirect fires; however, they have not supported combined arms operations since 2017,” the report noted. The report also explains how “Artillery regiments (within the units) hold exercises twice a year with live ammunition, but only in battery and smaller-sized formations that are disconnected from maneuver formations."[24]
The unit employs a wide range of artillery systems, including howitzers and multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS). Following the unit's integration into the MoPA, the United States delivered ammunition and several lightweight 105 mm howitzers to the force,[4][24] a move which was criticised by Mohammed al-Halbousi, the head of the Al-Taqadum Party, as according to him "their (Peshmerga) basic duty is only to maintain internal security within their area of responsibility."[25]
In addition to heavy artillery, the unit is equipped with light mortars, anti-tank self propelled guns, and anti-aircraft weapons such as large and small caliber autocannons designed for air-to-ground operations, some mounted on mechanized vehicles, along with tanks like the T-55.[8][26][27]
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