POTD: U.S. Army Soldiers In Iraqi Kurdistan Region
Knock, knock, open the door for another Photo Of The Day. Here we have U.S. Army Soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 181st Infantry Regiment, 44th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, assigned to Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve, conduct a training exercise. They have left their own service rifles somewhere else and are shooting AKs. Alongside you can see members of the Asayish in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region, September 2024.
Below: This looks like the PKM belt-fed general-purpose machine gun chambered in the 7.62×54mmR cartridge. Note how the skeletonized stock is used to grip and hold the gun.
The Asayish are the security and intelligence force operating in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region. According to the Kurdistan Regional Government, their official goals are for instance counter-drug trafficking, counter-terrorism and assessing threats to the region’s national security.
Images and captions: U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Bruce Daddis