Republican Guard (Iraq)
The Republican Guard ( Arabic الحرس الجمهوري العراقي) was an elite force of the former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein , estimated at a total strength of over 60,000 men in six divisions , "Adnan", "Baghdad", "El Nida", "Hammurabi", "Medina" and "Nebuchadnezzar", being the Medina Division is said to have been the best-equipped unit.
The Republican Guards were generally both better trained and better equipped than the other units in the Iraqi armed forces . The Republican Guard was originally formed by President Abd as-Sallam Arif in 1963 to protect the President and the government (s). The core of this Praetorian Guard was the 20th Infantry Brigade or soldiers from Arif's clan in Jumaila . In an attempted coup in 1965, the loyalty of this troop saved Arif.
Under President Saddam Hussein, it was converted into an independent armed forces with management and organizational structures separate from the army and expanded to over 150,000 men. Your 1st Special Corps proved itself in the war against Iran .
The so-called Special Republican Guard (SRG) had a special position, trained in street fighting and especially given to Saddam Hussein after some parts of the Republican Guard themselves defected to the rebels in 1991. In 2003, their generals surrendered right at the beginning of the battle for Baghdad in the hope of being taken over by the USA into a new Iraqi army .
See also
Web links
- Mirror Report on the Republican Guard (March 28, 2003)
- Report on the Republican Guard of the FAZ (March 26, 2003)
- globalsecurity.org - Republican Guard (English)