Asayish (Kurdistan Region)
Kurdistan Region's Security Agency / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Asayîş or Asayish (Kurdish for security[1]) is the Kurdish security organization and the primary intelligence agency operating in the Kurdistan region in Iraq. The organization was established in September 1993[2] and has been often referred to as an "intelligence agency",[3] "security force",[3] "security service",[4] "security",[5] "secret service",[6] "secret police",[7] or just "Kurdish police."[3] Asayish coordinates and shares information with Parastin u Zanyari, the investigative arms and intelligence gatherers operating in the Kurdistan region in Iraq.
Asayîşa Herêma Kurdistanê ئاسایشی هەرێمی کوردستان | |
Agency overview | |
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Formed | 1992; 32 years ago (1992) |
Headquarters | Erbil, Duhok and Sulaymaniyah |
Employees | 10000+ - 12000+ |
Agency executive |
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Parent agency | Kurdistan Region Security Council |
It acts under the command of the Kurdistan Parliament and the Kurdistan Regional Government.[2]
Its official goals according to the Kurdistan Regional Government are the following:
- Counter-drug trafficking
- Counter-terrorism
- Counter-espionage
- Gathering intelligence
- Assessing threats to the region's national security.
The organization has jurisdiction over:
- Economic crimes
- Smuggling
- Political crimes
- Espionage
- Sabotage
- Terrorism.