A commander for the Peshmerga’s seventh and third brigades, Ayub Yousif Saeed said in a statement he directed at the Kurdish Prime Minister and his deputy that “the Peshmerga forces are struggling to make ends meet.”

According to NRT Saeed threated to go on a strike and even confiscate tanker trucks – which transfer natural resources – if their demands are not met and said he considered the Peshmerga situation “unacceptable.”

“Peshmerga forces are for peace and stability, they protect this nation from invaders and enemies with their blood and for which they have made big sacrifices,” he said.

“Peshmerga should not pay the price for mistakes made by the politicians and their incorrect policies.”

Salaries for Kurdish employees, including Peshmerga, have been plagued by delays since 2014 and authorities have repeatedly said they cannot make payments due to a number of crises affecting the region.

Reporter’s code: 50101