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TheIraqi Republican Guard (Arabic:حرس العراق الجمهوري,romanized: Ḥaras al-ʿIrāq al-Jamhūrīy) was a branch of theIraqi military from 1969 to 2003, which existed primarily during thepresidency ofSaddam Hussein. Initially apraetorian guard unit tasked with the sole purpose to protect the president of Iraq, it grew exponentially during theIran-Iraq War, transforming into an elite force of theIraqi Armed Forces. It later became known as theRepublican Guard Corps, and then theRepublican Guard Forces Command (RGFC) with its expansion into two corps. The Republican Guard was disbanded in 2003 after theinvasion of Iraq by aU.S.-led international coalition.
The Republican Guard were the elite troops of the Iraqi army directly reporting to Hussein, unlike theparamilitary forceFedayeen Saddam, and the regularIraqi Army. They were better trained, disciplined, equipped, and had higher salaries than ordinary Iraqi soldiers, receiving bonuses, new cars, and subsidized housing.[2]
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Formed in 1969, it was originally created to be apresidential guard. Its primary objective was to maintain the stability of the regime and provide protection against internal and external enemies. During theIran–Iraq War, it was expanded into a large military force. It was officially dissolved in 2003, as perCPA Order 2 in the wake of theinvasion of Iraq by aU.S.-led international coalition.[3]
The force's last commander wasQusay Hussein, the younger son of Saddam Hussein. Saddam Hussein was so confident about the capability of the guard that he had said: "In history when they write aboutNapoleon's Guard, they will arrange them next to the Republican Guard of Iraq."[4]
Because of their elite status Republican Guards received better equipment and uniforms than their regular Army counterparts, and could often be identified by distinctive markings or items of head dress. Members of the regular Republican Guards conventionally wore a scarlet-colored triangle insignia on both shoulders of their uniforms (sometimes backed with white material to form a white border around the edge of the triangle); they also wore black berets as did some Army personnel, but as a distinctive marking a scarlet ribbon was often sewn to the right of the National cap badge to distinguish bravery in combat and/or loyalty to the Hussein regime. TheSpecial Republican Guards wore a maroon beret with the national eagle device, and a special variation of the triangle shoulder insignia in maroon with green Arabic lettering. The bright red qardoon (shoulder cord) distinguished Republican Guards as well. A similar cord with green and red bands was also worn by the Special Republican Guards.
Initially, the Guard had limited capabilities; however, during theIran–Iraq War, it was expanded to five brigades, which was initially mostly used in counterattacks, notably inOperation Dawn-4. By 1986, the war had exhausted Iraq, with both Iran and Iraq suffering heavy casualties. Iran had by then captured theAl Faw Peninsula and gradually pushed Iraqi forces beyond the pre-war border and captured territory inside Iraq, repulsing counterattacks by the Republican Guard. This, coupled with another defeat at theBattle of Mehran, caused theIraqi Ba'ath Party to convene the Ba'ath Extraordinary Congress of July 1986.[5] During this Congress, the Ba'ath Party decided on a new strategy to overhaul the Iraqi military and utilize Iraq's manpower capability. This decision allowed for the drafting of thousands of collegiate Iraqis who's schools were subsequently closed, who were sent to military summer camps.
With this massive influx of manpower, the Republican Guard expanded to somewhere between 28-33 brigades which were led by loyal officers drawn from the Iraqi military. This force then conducted theTawakalna ala Allah Operations, leading to the eviction of the Iranians from occupied Iraqi territory, resulting in the liberation of Al-Faw, as well as allowing for renewed major offensives into Iran.
The order of battle according to Iranian sources was as follows:[6]
There are some claims of units with names that are unknown.
Between theinvasion of Kuwait and thePersian Gulf War ("Operation Desert Storm"), the number of Republican Guard formations was expanded and the Guard was reorganized. The Republican Guard Forces Command was also created during this period. At the beginning of the Persian Gulf War, it consisted of the following units:[7]
Deployed outside of the corps structure were various other units including:
The Republican Guard also included two Corps Headquarters, theAllah Akbar Republican Guard Operations Command, and theFat'h al-Mubayyin Republican Guard Operations Command, separate artillery detachments and numerous field support units.
Between the invasion of Kuwait and the start of the war on 17 January 1991, four more RGFC internal security divisions had been formed which remained behind in Iraq. All of these units were motorised infantry. The names of only three of them were identified: theAl-Abed,Al-Mustafa ('The Elect') andAl-Nida Divisions ('The Call'). They may have conducted operations againstKurdish forces in the north.
By 1 August 1990, there were more than 100,000 Iraqi troops with up to 700 tanks on the Kuwaiti border.[11]
On 2 August 1990, the Republican Guard units commenced the invasion of Kuwait, which lasted two days.[12] The Kuwait army strength was 16,000,[13] so on paper Iraqi forces outnumbered the Kuwaitis 7 to 1. However, the actual ratio was far worse; the initial attack was swift,[14] swift enough for theKuwaiti military personnel on leave to be unable to report on time.[15]
The attack was conducted by eight RGFC divisions (two armoured, two mechanized, three motorised infantry and one special forces). The main thrust was conducted from the north down the main Iraq-Kuwait road, later famous as theHighway of Death, by the1st Hammurabi Armoured Division, with theNebuchadnezzar Infantry division following; theTawakalna Mechanised andAl Faw Infantry Divisions advanced on the flanks. The supporting attack from the west was led by theMedina Armoured Division, followed by theAdnan Infantry Division and theBaghdad Mechanised Division.Commandos deployed by helicopters joined the attack onKuwait City.[16]
After the invasion, the Republican Guard was withdrawn and redeployed into strategic reserve positions in northern Kuwait and southern and central Iraq.[17]
During the Persian Gulf War, theU.S. VII Corps assembled in full strength and launched an armoured attack into Iraq early Sunday, 24 February 1991, just to the west of Kuwait, taking Iraqi forces by surprise. Prior to the ground offensive, the Iraqi Republican Guard had been attacked relentlessly by US warplanes but managed to shoot down and damage a number of the attackers. On 15 February, the Iraqi Republican Guard shot down twoA-10 Warthogs and damaged another, which alarmed USAF GeneralChuck Horner, who was forced to call off further A-10 attacks on these divisions.[18] Simultaneously, theU.S. XVIII Airborne Corps launched a sweeping "left-hook" attack across the largely undefended desert of southern Iraq, led by the3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment and the24th Infantry Division (Mechanized). Once the allies had penetrated deep into Iraqi territory, they turned eastward, launching a flank attack against the Republican Guard.
Both sides exchanged fire, but the Republican Guard divisions, worn down by weeks of aerial bombardment, proved unable to withstand the Allied advance. The Republican Guard participated in some of the largest tank battles in US history including theBattle of Medina Ridge,Battle of Norfolk, and theBattle of 73 Easting against the U.S. VII Corps.[19][20][21] During the latter battle US veterans later reported coming under heavy small-arms fire with bullets bouncing off their vehicles, having been attacked by several dismounted detachments of theTawakalna Division.[22] Several rifle companies of the Tawakalna Division counterattacked under the cover of darkness, in an attempt to recover lost positions.[23] The US won with minimal losses while inflicting heavy losses on the Iraqi Army, but elements of the Republican Guard divisions were able to withdraw back into Iraq, shooting down three US warplanes and a rescue helicopter in the process.
In early April 1991, Colonel Montgomery Meigs, the commander of the 2nd Brigade of the 1st Armoured Division, paid his respects to his former enemy'sMedina Division reporting that, "These guys stayed and fought."[24] The Medina Division shot down an A-10 Thunderbolt II in the fighting for Medina Ridge on 27 February 1991, and other Republican Guard units were responsible for the destruction of a US Marine Corps Harrier, a USAF F-16 and a US Army UH-60 Blackhawk that day.[25][26][27]
All the eight Republican Guard divisions involved in fighting during the Gulf War and the "Tawakalna" Division were disbanded due to losses. The remaining formations led the suppression of the1991 uprisings in northern and southern Iraq - the Kurdish insurgency in the north and the Shi'ite uprising in the east. During these times, there were numerous accusations of the use of poison gas, rape and torture. The Hammurabi and Medina divisions surrounded Karbala with tanks and artillery, then shelled the city for one week, killing thousands and destroying entire neighborhoods.
Though it was reduced to a strength of seven or eight divisions, the RGFC was reconstituted, taking equipment from Army heavy divisions. Journalist Sean Boyle wrote a number of articles forJane's Intelligence Review, including on the Republican Guard, during the 1990s. In September 1997 he wrote that the Northern Corps had four divisions - Adnan Mechanised Division (Headquarters (HQ) Mosul) with the 11, 12, 21 Brigades; Baghdad Infantry Division (HQ Maqloob Maontin, Mosul Governate) 4, 5, 6 Brigades; Al Madina Al Munawara Armoured Division (Al Rashedia Camp/Al Taji Camp) 2, 10, 14, 17 Brigades; and the Al Abed Infantry Division (Khaled Camp, Kirkuk) with the 38, 39, and 40 Brigades.[28] The Southern Corps had three divisions including the Hammurabi Division.
See article:Iraq War
The Republican Guard was subordinate to the "Special Security Apparatus of the State" and not to theMinistry of Defence as was the regularIraqi Army. It was split into two Corps, one for the defense and control of northern Iraq, called "Allah Akbar Operations Command", composed of infantry and armoured units, and the "Fat'h al-Mubayyin Operations Command" composed primarily of mechanized units, which was located in the southern part of the country. In 2002, it was reported that the Republican Guard and theFedayeen Saddam were both training forurban warfare andguerrilla warfare.
The Republican Guard then consisted of between 50,000 and 60,000 men (although some sources cite up to 80,000), all volunteers, and some 750 Soviet T-72 andAsad Babil tanks and scores of T-55 and T-62 tanks, along with other mechanized vehicles. A further 90-100 T-72 tanks were operated by theSpecial Republican Guard. These forces were intentionally placed far from the capital for averting a possible rebellion against the regime. The members of this body of the army were provided with better pay, equipment, and training. They formed a special corps, with the ability to buy houses, while also being given other privileges to ensure loyalty to the regime.
On 23 March, 2003, the2nd Al Medina Armored Division and 6th Nebuchadnezzer Mechanized Division tasked with defending the Karbala Gap fought well, disrupting a strong attack conducted by the11th Aviation Group ("11th Attack Helicopter Regiment"), damaging thirty Apaches and shooting down one,[29] later capturing the crew consisting of David Williams and Ronald Young, both chief warrant officers.[30] This delayed advances from the Apache unit, as the helicopters were under-repair.[31] At least 2 Apaches of the helicopter regiment were damaged beyond repair.[32][33] On 2 April 2003, the Iraqi units positioned around Karbala shot down a U.S. Army Sikorsky H-60 Black Hawk helicopter, killing seven soldiers and wounding four.[34] Iraqi forces also shot down an FA-18 Hornet near Karbala around 8.45 AM local time.[35][36]
On 7 April 2003, an Iraqi Special Republican Guard FROG-7 rocket or an Ababil-100 SSM missile exploded among the parked vehicles of the headquarters of 2nd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, killing two soldiers (Private 1st Class Anthony Miller and Staff Sergeant Lincoln Hollinsaid) and two embedded journalists (Julio Parrado and Christian Liebig), wounding 15 and destroying 17 military vehicles.[37]
On 8 April 2003, some 500 Iraqis (including Special Republican Guard[38]) mounted a fierce counterattack across the Jumhuriya Bridge in Baghdad, forcing a part of the U.S. forces on the western side of Baghdad to initially abandon their positions, but the Iraqis reportedly lost 50 soldiers in the fight because of A-10 Warthogs deployed by theUSAF.[39] Though, an A-10 attack plane was shot down while combating the counterattack by an Iraqi surface-to-air missile.[40][41]
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On 2 April 2003, U.S. Army Brigadier GeneralVincent K. Brooks said that the Baghdad Division of the Iraqi Republican Guard had been "destroyed". Iraqi information ministerMuhammad Saeed al-Sahhaf responded that this was another U.S. "lie".[43][44]
The Republican Guard was officially dissolved on 23 May 2003 perOrder 2 of theCoalition Provisional Authority under AdministratorPaul Bremer.[45]
In early 2004, British journalist Sean Langan confirmed that one of the local commanders of the guerrilla stronghold of Ramadi was a former Republican Guard officer.[46]
In late April 2004, a Pentagon report claimed that members of the Special Republican Guard had regrouped in the guerrilla stronghold of Fallujah.[47]
After dismissal, many members of the Republican Guard went on to joinSunni insurgent groups, including groups such asThe Return (al-Awda),Naqshbandi Army (JRTN),Islamic Army in Iraq and theIslamic State.[48]
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