al-Qaeda Kurdish Battalions
| al-Qaeda Kurdish Battalions | |
|---|---|
| Dates of operation | 2007–present |
| Active region(s) | Iran, Iraqi Kurdistan |
| Ideology | Islamism, strict Sharia Law |
| Status |  Designated as Foreign Terrorist Organization by the U.S. State Department |
al-Qaeda Kurdish Battalions (AQKB) is a militant Islamist organization, primarily active in the northern Iran-Iraq border. It is a Kurdish-affiliated branch of al-Qaeda that has launched several attacks on the Kurdistan Regional Government in northern Iraq. The group was classified as a terrorist organization by the US State Department on January 1, 2012.[1]
Formation[edit]
AQKB was founded in 2007 after the apparent disbandment of Ansar al-Islam, another al-Qaeda-affiliated group. The group is considered to be relatively small, but it has camps in the Iranian towns of Mariwan and Sanandej.[2]
Attacks[edit]
The group has launched several attacks, including its largest one being against KRG's Ministry of Interior in Erbil that killed 19 people in May 2007.[2] AQKB killed 7 border guards and one PUK security officer in Penjwan in July 2007.[3] In September 2010, two police officers were hurt by a failed suicide attack in Sulaymaniyah.[3]
References[edit]
- ^ "Terrorist Designation of the al-Qaida Kurdish Battalions". U.S. Department of State. Retrieved 13 October 2015.
- ^ a b "Rudaw in English The Happening: Latest News and Multimedia about Kurdistan, Iraq and the World - US Designates Kurdish Group Terrorists". Rudaw.net. 2012-01-15. Retrieved 2012-01-29.
- ^ a b "Terrorist Designation of the Al-Qaida Kurdish Battalions". Aina.org. 2012-01-05. Retrieved 2012-01-29.
