08.2007 - Source: UN High Commissioner for Refugees

Infiltration of Iraqi army by Shi'ite militiamen ("UNHCR's Eligibility Guidelines for Assessing the International Protection Needs of Iraqi Asylum-seekers") [ID 22706]

"Apart from the forces of the Ministry of Interior, forces of the Ministry of Defence have also reportedly been infiltrated by Shi’ite militiamen. For example, the Iraqi Army’s Fifth Division, based in the Governorate of Diyala, was penetrated by a Shi’ite militia and conducted a campaign of intimidation against Sunnis in the mixed Governorate. Colonel Brian D. Jones, the commander of US Forces in Diyala, said “I believe this is a larger plan to make Diyala a Shia province, rather than a Sunni province.”"

Document(s): Open document

28.11.2006 - Source: Center for Strategic and International Studies

Report on Iraqi force development and the challenge of civil war (progress, political and economic dimension, trends in violence and their impact on Iraqi force development, developments in the Ministry of Defence, capabilities of army and special operations forces, progress in navy and air force) ("Iraqi Force Development and the Challenge of Civil War") [ID 18041]

Document(s): Open document

02.11.2006 - Source: Center for Strategic and International Studies

Report on options for expanding Iraqi forces (expanding and transforming Iraqi forces; creating new army forces; Iraqi regular forces; Ministry of Interior and National Police forces; regular police forces and facilities protection services; transfer of all security operations to Iraqi command) ("Options for Expanding Iraqi Forces: Goals and Realities") [ID 18047]

Document(s): Open document

22.10.2004 - Source: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

Muslim Scholars Association: Sharia law for military and police ("original document") [ID 10562]

"MUSLIM SCHOLARS ASSOCIATION URGES MILITARY, POLICE, NOT TO ASSIST U.S. The Muslim Scholars Association issued a statement in its weekly "Al-Basa'ir" on 14 October urging Iraqi police and military forces not to partake in operations in support of U.S.-led multinational forces. The statement issued by the Sunni organization called on these forces to disobey any orders by their superiors which go against Shari'a law and the "unity of the homeland and citizens." "The duty of the army is to protect the borders and defend values, holy places, and properties. Under shari'a law, the army is prohibited from participating in actions leading to the imposition of foreign control on the country," it added. "The Muslim Scholars Association in Iraq calls on the Iraqi police and national guard personnel to adhere to their original duties and carry out their work in compliance with the shari'a and original laws that are designed to organize their work." (Kathleen Ridolfo)"

Document(s): original document

08.10.2004 - Source: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

Defense Minister invites former officers to join Iraqi army ("original document") [ID 10563]

"DEFENSE MINISTRY INVITES FORMER OFFICERS TO JOIN IRAQI ARMY. The interim Defense Ministry has issued a call for former officers with the rank of major and below to join the new Iraqi Army, Al-Sharqiyah television reported on 5 October. The call is reportedly only addressed to the divisions of electrical and mechanical engineering, supplies, and transportation.

A source at the ministry said that a joint committee comprised of Defense and Interior ministry officials will review the applications and history of prospective returnees before they are rehired, the television reported.

Baghdad's "Al-Zaman" reported on 3 October that participants at a recent Baghdad meeting organized by former Iraqi Governing Council member Adnan Pachachi's Independent Democrats Grouping determined that the "main and last hope" for returning stability to Iraq lay in rehiring former army personnel. Former General Salem Hussein al-Ali was quoted as saying: "No government, whether interim or permanent, will be capable of administering the country if the former army is not restored." Mahmud Abd al-Qadir, another former general, criticized the current selection process for army members, saying it is based along ethnic and sectarian lines. Meanwhile, former Lieutenant General Suhail Abd al-Qadir proposed the return of former border guard battalions to help secure Iraq's borders. He claimed that if given the opportunity, former border officers could breathe life into their units in one month, "Al-Zaman" reported. (Kathleen Ridolfo)"

Document(s): original document

27.09.2004 - Source: Institute for War and Peace Reporting

FORMER ARMY OFFICERS TO GET BETTER TREATMENT ("original document") [ID 10564]

"FORMER ARMY OFFICERS TO GET BETTER TREATMENT

(Al-Adala) - Issues concerning officers of the former Iraqi Army have settled down due to some courageous procedures and decisions taken to rehabilitate them within the official framework of the government. Prime Minster Iyad Allawi recently ordered that all Iraqi officers might be back to service if they were willing. If not, they could be pensioned, while former officers with medical, engineering, scientific, and academic specialties could be transferred to the civil government sector. An official source added that the ministry would treat the former officers with flexibility and transparency.
(Al-Adala is issued daily by the Supreme Council of the Islamic Revolution in Iraq.)"

Document(s): original document

08.2004 - Source: UN High Commissioner for Refugees

Report on the current security and legal situation, material safety, displacement situation, human rights and protection situation as well as an overall analysis ("Country of Origin Information (COI) paper on Iraq (as of August 2004)") [#24717],  [ID 10565]

Document(s): Open document

30.07.2004 - Source: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

IRAQI ARMY CHIEF OF STAFF DISMISSED ("original document") [ID 10566]

"IRAQI ARMY CHIEF OF STAFF DISMISSED FROM POST. General Amir Bakr al-Hashimi, the chief of staff of the Iraqi Army, and five of his aides have been dismissed from their posts over allegations that they leaked sensitive intelligence information to militant groups in Iraq, Arab media reported on 24 July. Unidentified "sources" told KUNA that the dismissals came after "intelligence information [was] leaked from the headquarters of the Iraqi Defense Ministry through ranking officers to active armed groups in Iraq." The sources added, "The ministry took strict measures after discovering what it described as a serious security failure, something which led to reconsidering many security measures." KUNA further reported that Defense Minister Hazim al-Sha'lan said last week that an employee at the ministry -- Muhammad Majid -- was arrested for leaking information. That arrest came after Majid's son Humam was arrested in a raid on militants by national-guard forces. Humam reportedly admitted under interrogation that his father had leaked information about the ministry and its employees to militants. Both Majid and al-Hashimi are also members of Baghdad's city council."

Document(s): original document

22.04.2004 - Source: BBC News

Iraqi forces 'turn on coalition' ("original document") [ID 10567]

"Iraqi forces 'turn on coalition'

The new coalition-trained Iraqi police force is being infiltrated by insurgents, a US army general has said. Maj Gen Martin Dempsey said about 10% of new officers were rebels and a further 40% had left their jobs - but the rest "stood tall and stood firm".

His comments came hours after a series of bomb blasts in southern Iraq killed at least 68 people. In the city of Falluja, coalition forces say 36 insurgents have died in fighting which began on Wednesday.

US troops said this began when up to 60 rebels attacked them with small arms and rocket-propelled grenades - despite a ceasefire agreed earlier in the week. The city, west of Baghdad, is held by Sunni militants.

'Intimidation'

Gen Dempsey, commander of the US army's 1st Armored Division, told media executives in an interview that he believed popular support for the coalition among Iraqis remained high, though it could not be taken for granted.

But he acknowledged that one in every 10 of the Iraqi security forces trained by the coalition ended up working against the US-led forces.

"About 50% of the security forces that we built over the past year stood tall and stood firm," he told the annual meeting of the Associated Press news agency.
"About 40% of them walked off the job because they were intimidated and about 10% actually worked against us." (...)"

Document(s): original document

01.04.2004 - Source: UK Home Office

Military Service ("original document") [ID 10568]

"Iraq’s armed forces as they existed under Saddam Hussein were
dissolved in May 2003 by a directive issued by L Paul Bremer. The Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Information, Republican Guard and other security institutions “which constituted and supported the most repressive activities of Saddam Hussein’s regime” were abolished and conscription was ended. The coalition planned to create a New Iraqi Corps that would be professional, nonpolitical, militarily effective and representative of all Iraqis. Candidates for the new force would be screened. [8b][14b] 5.61 Although the Coalition imposed a September 2004 deadline for the 35,000 strong new Iraqi army to be in place, it was reported by the BBC on 18 March 2004 to have said that it wants to have most of the new army, including 1,400 officers, signed on by the end of June. The majority of the first batch of 550 officers was reported to have served formerly under Saddam Hussein, and to represent the country’s ethnic and religious mix. [4p]"

Document(s): original document

23.12.2003 - Source: BBC News

Pay boost for new Iraqi recruits ("original document") [ID 10571]

"(...) Members of Iraq's new security forces are to have their pay doubled to compensate for the dangers they face. The United States-led Coalition Provisional Authority administering Iraq announced extra "hazardous duty pay" of between $60 and $80 a month. Earlier this month, about half the men in the first army battalion to be recruited by the US walked out complaining of low pay. The extra pay is for soldiers, police officers, firemen and border guards. (...)"

Document(s): original document

23.12.2003 - Source: International Crisis Group

Baathist military, new Iraqi army and Iraqi militias ("original document") [ID 10572]

Information about the BAATHIST MILITARY, the NEW IRAQI ARMY and Iraqi MILITIAS.

Document(s): original document

20.11.2003 - Source: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

Strength of Iraqi securty forces ("original document") [ID 10575]

"(...) According to U.S. government figures, the Iraqi security forces stand this month at 55,000 police, 700 military, and 29,800 in other services, including the new Civil Defense Force. But Ignatius says that many of those in the Civil Defense Force are young, inexperienced recruits who are bearing arms for the first time. (...)

U.S. officials have said they hope to have more than 200,000 Iraqis in security forces by September to take over much of the work being done now by U.S. and foreign troops. But Washington also has suggested U.S. troops will have to remain in the country well beyond that date. (...)"

Document(s): original document