The Peshmerga, the soldiers of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (very loyal partners to the US and West since well before gaining de facto autonomy in Iraq in 1993) were carrying these. Weaponry of the Peshmerga is a mixed bag because everything technically has to be approved by Baghdad and it remains a very partisan force with the ruling party's security forces tending to carry AK and their variants moreso than the other party that holds the presidency of Iraq whose guard is debeatedly the most disciplined and US trained force in Iraq. That party was also much closer to the Kurdish forces the US-led Coalition (mostly Green Berets on the US side) backed in Syria.

And to the photo... I couldn't find a good one of the visit, but here is the rifle and unit that provided the "second bubble" of security.

Chinese Type 56.

That particular model is the 56-2 here in the states, not sure what the Chicoms call it.

yup, besides the stock, the front site and the gas tube are the tells.

FPNI

Looks like they're using tape to hold the plastic buttstock sides on

Maybe they just wrapped them in plastic so their faces wouldn't touch cold steel every time they shoulder their weapon.
Idk the temperature there.

I know the cleaning kit stays in there, I was thinking maybe it was to secure that, but it could also be to keep the sides from popping off. Those rivets never impressed me.

No muzzle devices?

The ChiCom AKs usually have a bare muzzle to allow the bayonet to slide up and over and lock in.

It's temperate like Cincy, Louisville, St Louis... 10 Fahrenheit to 105 Fahrenheit (dry heat) during the summer. The fall and spring seasons are much shorter and precipitation much lower unless you are in the mountains.

At some point, I'll start a "Ask Anything About Kurdistan" thread... I've lived and worked here nearly 5 years not .mil or .gov.

Regarding the tape, they probably just want to be tact-cool and didn't have the proper mounts for a folding stock. Military, Leo, Intel and Spec-Ops structures here don't match the US structure so you get a lot of crossover. For example, Kurdistan's President, PM and Interior Ministry each have different responsibilities (Interior Ministry's "Protocol Department" is responsible for perimeter protection of all diplomatic missions, but the President and PM have their own protection (black suites and glasses with I imagine weaponry like MP-5s concealed under their jackets...) despite political differences all of the units are supposed to work together.

During the ISIS conflict there was just one bombing in a major city in Kurdistan and then a few months ago Iran-backed and armed Iraqi (Arab) militias fired 50+ Kaytushas at the Erbil airport (where the US-led coalition is based and trains Iraqi and Kurdish security forces and where the JSOC responsible for all airstrikes north of Baghdad is), US and Chinese consulates and a very upscale part of Erbil City where most ex-patriates live...

I believe a lot of us would be interested in your experiences with the Kurds.

Apparently no problem getting Chicom imports there. Fuck you Bush 41

Looks too loose to be tape to my eyes. Almost looks like plastic wrap of some sort. Don't know why they would do that.

I live in Kurdistan and work with the Pesh pretty regularly. They have lots of different AKs. Some have G3's from Germany. There are a bunch of different units. Most bring their gun from home that has been in their family for years.

I have a pretty nice Yugo under folder and had a Chinese AK for a while.

Kurds are awesome.

eta. Actually the guy in my avatar is one of my best friends. He's Kurdish, was Peshmerga and also Iraqi Intelligence officer working with US special forces for many years.

2 weeks ago lunch with the Pesh near the Iranian border. Very cool spot.

I'm ready for a arfcom Kurdistan meet up! I'll be in Erbil tomorrow morning. DC Steakhouse for lunch? Any other members living in the region. I bet there are.

Pshh. Na. I wasn't sure any other arfcomers lived here. I've posted a few topics about living here but never had anyone respond that they live here too.

One weird thing about Kurdistan is that it's a hub for so many different western entities. Oil companies, the UN, NGOs, the military and a lot of private security companies. We see each other around town pretty often but we rarely talk to each other because you never want to be caught in the awkward position of having to lie about why you are here. Or you don't want to be the guy who asked, "so what do you do here?" To the guy who is a xxxxxxxxxxxx and can't talk about it. So the most we do is give an awkward nod to each other in the grocery store.

It's kind of a weird thing.