Zakho Military College
کۆلێژی سەربازی زاخۆ | |
Other names | Second Military College |
|---|---|
| Type | Military Academy |
| Established | 1996 |
| Dean | Maj. Gen. Nazir Asim Agha[1] |
| Students | 800–1,000 annualy (recent years)[2] |
| Location | , Kurdistan Region, Iraq 37°09′42″N 42°40′17″E / 37.16172953552002°N 42.67152568918043°E Fatal error: The format of the coordinate could not be determined. Parsing failed. |
| Language | Kurdish and Arabic |
Location in Iraqi Kurdistan | |
The Zakho Military College (Script error: The function "langx" does not exist.) is a military academy located in Zakho, Kurdistan Region, Iraq. Along with the Qalachwalan Military College, it is one of two military academies in the Kurdistan Region and is regarded as the leading military academy in Iraq. It commissions officers for the Peshmerga and the Iraqi Armed Forces.[2]
Formally, the college is subordinate to Iraq's Ministry of Defence, however, it retains its historical affiliation with the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), and its leadership consists entirely of Kurds, who exercise full autonomy over its decision-making while benefiting from financing provided by the Ministry.[2]
History
The college was founded in 1996.[3] It was established by the KDP, with support from the United States, on the grounds of a military installation in the urban centre of Zakho. It initially resembled an "under-equipped small military base," providing training for only 21 cadets, who were among the first Peshmerga to receive formal military education and ranks.[2][4] Following the establishment of the Qalachwalan Military College in 1992,[5] it became the second military academy in the Kurdistan Region and consequently acquired the alternative designation Second Military College.[2]
After the invasion of Iraq and the overthrow of the Ba'athist regime, the college was taken over by the United States. The United States and the Coalition Provisional Authority placed particular emphasis on the security of Kurdistan for military personnel, who elsewhere in Iraq were exposed to attacks by Arab insurgents. The United States decided to transform the college into a more modern and capable institution, able to provide training not only for the Peshmerga but also for members of the Iraqi Armed Forces, which had been disbanded at the time and needed to be rebuilt, including through the replacement of former Ba'athist officers. Kurdish leaders agreed to the project and incorporated the college into the broader Iraqi military education system by transferring it from the Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs to the Iraqi Ministry of Defence. It is believed that Kurdish leaders sought to foster pro-Kurdish sympathies among future Iraqi Army officers by having them trained by Kurdish officers.[2] The transfer was completed in 2004 under an agreement that stipulated equal representation of Kurdish and Arab students.[4] In the following years, the United States financed the college's expansion, including the construction of new material and technical facilities and other infrastructure. Much of the work was carried out by Turkish contractors, while a smaller portion was undertaken by Duhok-based companies under the direct supervision of U.S. Army engineering units.[2][6] Nonetheless, the academy continued to predominantly admit Kurdish cadets, who in 2009 constituted the overwhelming majority of its student body. Tensions between Kurdish and Arab cadets also meant that they rarely shared dormitories.The academy's leadership, which continued to consist of KDP-aligned Kurds, also retained full control over the admission process rather than the Iraqi MoD, requiring candidates nominated by the Iraqi government to undergo additional review before being admitted.[4] A Kurdish soldier at the academy noted:[4]
"[...] quite frankly I haven't noticed any relevant differences (regarding the ethnic composition) between now and then. Before, the Academy was dependent from the Peshmerga Ministry and since 2005 it depends from [sic] the Ministry of Defense in Baghdad. Moreover, the number of officers increased as well as our salary... that's all."
In November 2009, the Iraqi government attempted to abolish the college through Iraqi Ministry of Defence Order No. 466. The decision was widely regarded as politically motivated and was rejected by Kurdish leaders, who argued that its closure would reduce the proportion of Kurds in the Iraqi Army and that the quality of military training at the college was substantially higher than that available elsewhere in Iraq. In January 2010, under pressure, the Iraqi Ministry of Defense revoked its decision to abolish the academy.[2]
In 2024, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) decided to relocate the academy's training and exercises section to a 67-acre site near Batifa. The decision followed complaints from local residents about excessive noise from training exercises conducted at the section in central Zakho, near civilian homes, as well as an incident in which a civilian was killed by a stray bullet during a training exercise at the academy.[7]
Admission
Admission requires completion of 12 years of secondary education, with applicants generally aged between 18 and 24. The academy maintains a strict selection process and monitors cadets throughout their training due to concerns over infiltration by terrorist organizations. Personnel of the Iraqi Armed Forces seeking to attend must also receive additional approval from the college's Kurdish leadership before admission.[2]
Training
Training lasts one year and is conducted by ethnic Kurds, many of whom are from the KDP's power base in Duhok. Some teaching officers have received military training at the Iraqi Military Academy in Rustamiyah or are veterans of the Iraqi–Kurdish conflict and have significant combat experience.[2]
The college's training system is modeled on that of the Iraqi Military Academy in Rustamiyah, which itself was based on the British military training system. Peshmerga units receive instruction in Kurdish, while Arab units of the Iraqi Armed Forces receive instruction in Arabic. In terms of the combat capabilities acquired by its graduates, the college has often been compared with the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. The college is highly regarded for the physical and geographical characteristics of its surrounding area, which allow for training under a variety of conditions. Upon completion of their training, cadets receive the rank of Lieutenant 2nd Class (Cêdar).[2]
References
- ↑ "Peshmerga Ministry Delegation Visits Zakho Military College". gov.krd. 22 September 2026. Retrieved 3 October 2026.
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 Mossaki, Nodar Z. (2015-03-12). "Iraqi Military Academies" (PDF). Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academies of Sciences. Voennyi Sbornik. Academic Publishing House Researcher. 7 (1): 48–56. doi:10.13187/vs.2015.7.48.
- ↑ "WATCH: 418 Peshmerga fighters graduate from Zakho Military Academy". Kurdistan24. 2018-01-31. Retrieved 2026-10-03.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Lamani, Mokhtar; Momani, Bessma (January 2010). "From Desolation to Reconstruction: Iraq's Troubled Journey". Studies in International Governance. Wilfrid Laurier University: 80 ff. ISBN 9781282167117.
- ↑ "President Barzani calls for 'faster' unification of Peshmerga forces". Rudaw. 2026-06-21. Retrieved 2026-10-03.
- ↑ McKinney, Claude D. (2 September 2009). "Securing a Military Academy". DVIDS. Retrieved 2026-10-03.
- ↑ "Local protest planned Zakho military academy training facility". 964media. 2024-02-13. Retrieved 2026-10-03.
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