36th Commando Battalion
36th Commando Battalion patch
Active26 December 2003 – present
Country Iraq
BranchIraqi Army/Counter Terrorist Bureau
TypeSpecial forces
RoleSpecial operations
SizeBattalion
Part of1st Special Operations Brigade, Iraqi Counter Terrorist Command
Nickname(s)
  • 36th CDO BN
  • 1st CDO BN
Engagements
Commanders
Current
commander		Lt. Gen Karim Abboud Muhammad
Notable
commanders
Iraq Maj. Gen. Fadhil al-Barwari
(Commander of the 36th Commando Battalion)

The 36th Commando Battalion (36th CDO BN)[1][2] is one of several Iraqi special forces units created after the fall of the Saddam Hussein. Originally part of the Iraqi Special Operations Forces Brigade (ISOF BDE), the unit has a role comparable to that of the United States Army Rangers.[3] The unit is now designated as the 1st Commando Battalion, part of the 1st Special Operations Brigade.[4][5]

The unit was formerly known as the 36th Iraqi Civil Defense Corps Battalion.[6]

History

Left to right: MSG Ron, C co SGM and C co. Commander (Identities censored for security reasons)

On 25 November 2003, a decision was made between the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA), the Commander United States Central Command (CDRCENTCOM), the Commander Combined Joint Task Force 7 (CDR CJTF-7), and the Iraqi Governing Council (IGC). These elements agreed to form a Baghdad-based, 500-man battalion by integrating militiamen from five (5) Political Parties: Iraqi National Accord (INA), Iraqi National Congress (INC), Kurdish Democratic Party (KDP), Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), and Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI).[7] The idea was to create a special forces unit that would be composed of Iraqis from various ethnic and religious groups.[8]

In late 2003, the CJSOTF-AP (Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-Arabian Peninsula) made plans to put the 36th CDO BN under the control of the Iraqi Counter Terrorism Force (ICTF).[9] Initial recruits sent to be trained with the 36th CDO BN were given table tennis paddles to publicly hide their activities that they were going for SOF training.[9] Recruits who changed their mind to join the battalion were taken off the roster.[9] The unit changed its name to the 1st Commando Battalion after the Iraqi Special Operations Forces (ISOF) Brigade was created in July 2005.[9]

During the war against the Islamic State in 2017, the battalion was known to be militarily and politically reliable as they fought ISIL fighters instead of abandoning their positions[10] unlike other military units like the Iraqi Army's 2nd Division.[11]

Operations

36th CDO BN forces were involved in Najaf in August 2004, nearly raiding Sadr's hideout if he did not choose to give up.[9] In November 2004, 36th CDO BN forces were deployed to Fallujah alongside US Marines to flush out anti-government insurgents,[9][12] taking control of a hospital from insurgents.[13] They were also involved in Samarra, engaged in anti-insurgency operations in September 2004.[9][14]

The 36th CDO BN was involved in anti-ISIL operations, engaging ISIL fighters in Mosul in 2017.[10]

Organization

The 36th CDO BN was organized based on the structure of the US Army Special Forces.[4]

In 2004, the 36th CDO BN had 400 operators, trained by 17 US Special Forces advisors.[15]

As of 2023, the unit is under the command of the Iraqi Counter Terrorism Service.[16]

References

  1. ↑ https://limacharlienews.com/mena/tal-afar-the-gates-of-hell/
  2. ↑ https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/iraq/nia-36sof.htm
  3. ↑ https://content.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1039654-2,00.html
  4. 1 2 David Witty. "The Iraqi Counter Terrorism Service" (PDF). Brookings. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 October 2017.
  5. ↑ https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/golden-division-elite-us-trained-commando-unit-retaking-mosul-isis-1590053
  6. ↑ Eisenstadt, Michael (26 October 2004). "The Iraqi Security Forces (Part I): Background and Current Status". The Washington Institute. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  7. ↑ Otterman, Sharon (16 February 2005). "Iraq: Security Forces". Council on Foreign Relations. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  8. ↑ https://www.military.com/defensetech/2004/11/08/who-are-iraqs-36th
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 https://irp.fas.org/agency/dod/socom/2007history.pdf
  10. 1 2 "The Best Thing America Built In Iraq: Iraq's Counter-Terrorism Service and the Long War Against Militancy". War on the Rocks. 19 July 2017. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  11. ↑ "Inside the Collapse of the Iraqi Army's 2nd Division". War on the Rocks. 1 July 2014. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  12. ↑ "U.S. Marines in battle: Fallujah" (PDF). usmcu.edu. November–December 2004. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  13. ↑ "Marine Forces Reserve Operational History Global War on Terror (2004 – 2007)" (PDF). marforres.marines.mil. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  14. ↑ "Fighting in Samarra, Iraq". CNN. 4 October 2004. Archived from the original on 11 March 2007.
  15. ↑ Kenneth W. Estes (2009). "U.S. Marine Corps Operations in Iraq, 2003–2006" (PDF). fas.org. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  16. ↑ https://www.socom.mil/TipOfTheSpear/July%202005%20Tip%20of%20the%20Spear.pdf
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