Zeravani

Pêşmerge Zêrevanî
Pêşmerge Zêrevanî
Kurdish: زێرەڤانی, Zêrevanî
	Zêrevanî logo
Active	1997–2006 (as Kurdish forces); 2006–present (Kurdistan Regional Government)
Country	Iraq
Allegiance	Government
Branch	Peshmerga
Role	Gendarmerie
Size	200,000 active ; 250,000 reservists
Garrison/HQ	Zaxo
Nickname(s)	Zerêvanî
Engagements	War in Iraq (2013–2017); Syrian Civil War;
Commanders
Commander	Lieutenant General Ezîz Weysî Banî
Notable; commanders	Hana Peshang Miran

The Zerevani^[4] (Kurdish: زێرەڤانی, Zêrevanî, meaning "Guard" or "Guardian") (or Zeravani,^[5] sometimes Zeravani Army^[6]) are the militarized force (described as a gendarmerie by some^[5]) operated by Kurdistan Regional Government.

Organization and Mission

The Zêrevanî are under the operational control of the Kurdish Ministry of the Interior^[1]^[7] but are a part of the Peshmerga (armed forces), and provide security for government and industrial property and support to civilian police & the military.^[6]^[8] The first Commanding Chief of Zêrevanî was Faridun Jwanroyi, Fraydoon resigned in 2010 and Aziz Weysi Bani was assigned as the Major General of the Zêrevanî.^[7]

The Zêrevanî were established in 1997 by the KDP in order to support the police and Asaysh forces; according to Major General Aziz Waisi, the Zêrevanî's role over the years expanded to also protect electricity stations and water resources,^[1] as well as embassies, consulates, government offices and other sensitive targets.^[9]

According to Stratfor, as of 2004 two Zêrevanî divisions (totaling 30,000 troops) were established in the Iraqi Federal Police.^[10] In 2011, the Zêrevanî strength was of 47,000,^[1] while as of 2017, Zêrevanî strength is of 51,000;^[11]^[12] among these, there are several Christians of Kurdistan Region.^[13]

Zêrevanî 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;^[1] women are allowed to, and do, serve.^[9]

Issues

In June 2008, the Zêravanî were the subject of an Amnesty International campaign after the alleged kidnap of a Kurdish journalist.^[8] According to Canadian website McLeans.ca, the Zêravanî are considered loyal to the ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party;^[7] according to Major General Aziz Waisi, all political activities are forbidden within the Zêravanî, although party membership is allowed.^[1]

International training and operations

In November 2009, the Zêrevanî began training conducted alongside the Iraqi Federal Police,^[4] in order to conduct effective police work and counter-insurgency operations.^[14] Since 2014, also the Zeravani have undergone training with the Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve. The Zêrevanî training is conducted primarily by the Italian Carabinieri,^[14] but also by Canadian,^[7] British, German, Dutch, Norwegian, Finnish and Hungarian forces.^[14] As of 2016, the Zêrevanî were also trained by Italian Army^[15]

A Zêrevanî division led by Colonel Abu Rish was fighting against ISIS near Mosul during summer 2015;^[16] in 2016 the Zeravani, according to Colonel Abdularrahman Hassan, still occupied frontline positions around Mosul.^[7]

Current equipment of the Pêşmerge

Because Zêrevanî forces were low on equipment when they began training, the Peshmerga army donated some of their weapons to the Zêrevanî. The Kurdistan Regional Government set them up a base and allowed them to buy their own weapons. The Zeravani unlike the Peshmerga are equipped with modern American, Russian and French arms and weapons. While the Peshmerga often use old Soviet and American weapons from the 60s.^[17]

Individual weapons
- assault & sniper rifles

Weapon Name	Origin	Number
M16	USA	Unknown
M4A1	USA	Unknown
AK-12	Russia	Unknown
FAMAS G2	France	Unknown
Barrett M82	USA	Unknown
M-24 sniper rifle	USA	Unknown
Dragunov SVU	Russia	Unknown
Zastava M91	Yugoslavia	Unknown
PSG-1	West Germany	Unknown

Anti-tank explosive

Weapon Name	Picture	Note
RPG-7
RPG-29
AT4
AT-4 Spigot
Panzerfaust 3

Vehicles
- Main battle tanks

Vehicle Name	Picture	Origin	Type	Number	Note
T-62		Soviet Union		116	116 tanks captured from Mosul in 2003.
T-54/T-55		Soviet Union		132	121 tanks captured from the Iraqi Army in 1991 and 27 tanks captured from the Iraqi Army in 2003. 8 tanks destroyed during the 1990s and 6 tanks destroyed in the fight against ISIS^[18]

- Military trucks & Pickup trucks

Vehicle Name	Picture	Note
GAZ-66
Humvee^[19]		Peshmerga forces currently have 3000+ Humvees.
Toyota Hilux
LMTV
Toyota Land Cruiser Pickup		Known as "Mig Zamin" within the Peshmerga Forces.
Nissan Titan
Defender-110^[20]

- Anti-aircraft guns

Name	Picture	Note
ZU-23-2		16 pieces captured from Iraqi Army in 1991 and 5 were given by Russia in 2016.^[21]
85 mm air defense gun M1939 (52-K)		10 pieces inherited from the Republic of Kurdistan and 18 further pieces donated by the Soviet Union in 1961–62.
AZP S-60		12 pieces donated by the Soviet Union in 1957 and 1963, 18 pieces captured from Iraqi Army in 1991 and 24 pieces in 2003.
ZSU-23-4		21 pieces captured from Iraqi Army in 2003.