US plans to cut off military aid to key Middle East ally, BBC told
Iraqi Kurdistan fears the Trump administration's plan will make the region more vulnerable to further attacks from Iran.
The Trump administration is reportedly planning to terminate military aid to the Kurdish Peshmerga forces in Iraq, a key ally that assisted the US in defeating the Islamic State (IS) group. This decision comes as Iran intensifies its attacks on Iraqi Kurdistan, according to four sources familiar with the matter. The security assistance, which amounted to $61 million in fiscal year 2026, would be cut due to the expiring agreement between the Pentagon and the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG).
The cuts would allegedly embolden Iran, a concern voiced by Kurdish officials. The US withdrawal of troops from Iraq, set to occur in September, marks the end of the international military campaign against IS, in which the Peshmerga played a crucial role alongside coalition troops.
Written by urgent.news from BBC World's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
