Iraq: Kurdish Dissident Forces
There are no reliable daia on Kurdish strength. The groups exaggerate iheir numbers and include part-lime warriors to enhance their influence. Some fighters appear to serve as mitiiiamen, participating only when personal circumstances, party needs, and availability of arms permit.
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Several major Kurdish dissidentMas'ud Barzani's Kurdish Democratic Party and Jalal Talabam's Patriotic Union ofcontrolled forces of as many0 men during ihe, and they may have mustered more forces for the current uprising. Baghdad's ruthless campaign in the fall and winterlmost certainly destroyed significant numbers of the Kurdish forces, but its current weakness and the success of the uprising probably have prompted many Kurds to join the revolt. The availability of captured arms, deserters, and new recruits probably has enabled Barzani and Talabani to marshal forces as strong as or stronger than those they commanded during. The defection of at least five border guard units and probably some local seen my elements to the Kurdish side are also tilting the current balance invor.
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