The Iraqi Special Republican Guard (SRG) (Arabic: Al-Haris al-Jamhuri al-Khas), also known as the Special Forces Brigade of the Presidential Palace,[1] Republican Guard Special Protection Forces,[2] or the Golden Division,[1] was an Iraqi praetorian guard founded in either early 1992 or March 1995 in Iraq. The Special Republican Guard was controlled by the Special Security Organization and charged with protecting President Saddam Hussein, presidential sites, Baghdad, and responding to any rebellion, coup, or other threat to his power.[1]
The Special Republican Guard received better pay and benefits than members of the Republican Guard and regular Iraqi Army. In 2002 there were reportedly 12,000 members of the Special Republican Guard, drawn primarily from clans loyal to Saddam Hussein and his regime. As many as five brigades containing 14 battalions of 1,300-1,500 men each, and also included air defense, armored, and artillery were reported to be in existence at that time. The Special Republican Guard was officially dissolved on May 23, 2003 per CPA Order Number 2 in the wake of the 2003 invasion of Iraq.[3]
Former members of the Special Republican Guard are suspected of carrying out insurgent attacks on coalition forces in Iraq, but also seem to form the cadre around which the various Sons of Iraq or Anbar Awakening home guard militias, funded, trained, equipped and operating alongside American forces are composed of.
Structure [edit]
The SRG had 13 or 14 battalions and ranged in troop strength from 15,000[2] to 26,000.[4] This may have fallen to 12,000 by 2002.[1]
- 1st Brigade
- 2nd Brigade
- 3rd Brigade
- 4th Brigade
- Air Defense Command
- Tank Command
References [edit]
Further reading [edit]
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Armed groups in the Iraqi insurgency |
| Insurgents |
Now-defunct Ba'athist rebels and insurgents |
Iraqi Armed Forces and Police |
Militias and others |
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Nationalist Salafies
- Islamic Army in Iraq (Al-Jaish Al-Islami fil-Iraq)
- Army of the Men of the Naqshbandi Order (Naqshabandiya Army) Sufi/Sunni Naqshbandi Iraqis led by Saddam's former aide Izzat Ibrahim Ad-Douri. It is the largest insurgency group to be compromised of former Ba'athists and is known to have ties with former regime elements.
- Jaish al-Mujahideen
- Mujahideen Battalions of the Salafi Group of Iraq
- Islamic Salafist Boy Scout Battalions (Kataab Ashbal Al Islam Al Salafi)
- Mohammad's Army (aka Jeish Muhammad)
A guerrilla group opposed to the coalition forces, composed primarily of Sunnis believed to have Ba'athist ties.
Pan-Arab Nationalists
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Salafist jihadism
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Ba'athists
- Fedayeen Saddam ("Saddam's Men of Sacrifice")
A paramilitary organization loyal to the former Ba'athist regime of Saddam Hussein.
- The Return (al-Awda)
composed of former Ba'ath Party officials, intelligence agents, former members of the Republican Guard, the Special Republican Gaurd and Fedayeen Saddam militia.
- General Command of the Armed Forces, Resistance and Liberation in Iraq
- Popular Army
- New Return
- Patriotic Front
- Political Media Organ of the Ba‘ath Party (Jihaz al-Iilam al-Siasi lil hizb al-Ba'ath)
- Popular Resistance for the Liberation of Iraq
- Al-Abud Network
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- Iraqi Army
The Iraqi Army is a component of the Iraqi Security Forces tasked with assuming responsibility for all Iraqi land-based military operations following the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
- Iraqi Air Force
- Iraqi Police
The Iraqi Police are the organic civil police force of the Republic of Iraq. There are three main branches.
- Iraqi Police Service (IPS): Responsible for the day to day patrolling of cities around most crimes.
- National Police (NP): Paramilitary force for counterinsurgency, public disorder and counter terrorist tasks.
- Supporting Forces: Remaining police organizations, primarily the Department of Border Enforcement (DBE).
- Facilities Protection Service
A paramilitary force responsible for protecting government buildings and facilities.
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Shia militias
- Mahdi Army (Jaish-i-Mahdi)(جيش المهدي)
The Mahdi Army is a militia force created by the Iraqi Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr in June of 2003, disbanded in 2008.
- Abu Deraa's Mahdi Army faction
In the fall of 2006, Abu Deraa and his supporters formed their own militia.
- Badr Organization (originally Badr Brigade/Bader Corps) (منظمة بدر)
The armed wing of the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq (SCIRI).
- Sheibani Network
Smuggling network and Insurgent group, which both supplies other insurgents and attacks coalition and Iraqi forces.
- Soldiers of Heaven
an armed Iraqi Shi'a sect.
- Special Groups (Iraq) Iranian backed factions of the Mahdi Army which went on to become separate organisations which continued fighting after the Mahdi Army's disbanding.
- Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq (League of the Righteous)
The largest Special Group, led by Qais Khazali and later Akram al-Kabi.
- Promised Day Brigades
The Special Group which was created as successor of the Mahdi Army and continued activities against US and coalition forces
- Kata'ib Hezbollah (Hezbollah Brigades)
The most notorious Special Group, it became completely independent from the Mahdi Army and other Special Groups.
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Sunni militias
Kurdish militias
- Peshmerga
- term used by Kurds to refer to armed Kurdish fighters. The term is now officially used for the security forces of Iraqi Kurdistan.
- Kurdistan Workers' Party or PKK. A militant separatist organization whose goal is the creation of an independent Kurdish state in Turkey. Currently has bases in Iraqi Kurdistan's Qandil mountains.
- Kurdistan Freedom Falcons or TAK. Radical splinter group from PKK, currently residing in Qandil mountains.
- Party for a Free Life in Kurdistan or PJAK. A militant organization whose goal is overthrowing the Islamic government of Iran. Currently taking refuge in the Qandil mountains.
Minority militias
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Ba'athist Iraq
