ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraqi leaders on Tuesday called for strengthening the country’s armed forces as they marked the 105th anniversary of the Iraqi Army, emphasizing the need to equip it with modern weapons and technology.
"On the occasion of the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Iraqi Army, we proudly recall its honorable and enduring journey in defending the nation, confronting terrorism, and safeguarding the security of citizens," President Abdul Latif Rashid said in a statement.
Rashid described the army as “a solid pillar of the Iraqi state and a steadfast shield protecting the homeland.”
He also highlighted the sacrifices made by the Iraqi Army, alongside Shiite Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) and Kurdish Peshmerga units, in defending Iraq’s territory, sovereignty, and the dignity of its people.
Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani attended the 89th graduation ceremony at the Fourth Military College near Nasiriyah, a key Iraqi Armed Forces training facility that has recently collaborated with NATO Mission Iraq on instructor training.
Iraq’s first modern military battalion was established by the British on January 6, 1921, during their mandate following World War I. Over the decades, the military grew in influence, with some officers eventually orchestrating a coup against the British-installed monarchy.
Under Saddam Hussein, Iraq’s military became one of the most powerful in the region, bolstered by US support, though it revealed tactical weaknesses during the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq War. From the 1970s through the early 1990s, the army was also used to suppress Kurdish and Shiite uprisings.
Following Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait in 1990, Saddam’s forces were quickly defeated by a U.S.-led coalition. Sanctions and weapons inspections further weakened the military until its dissolution after the 2003 US-led invasion - a move that left many former soldiers unemployed and contributed to the rise of the insurgency that later produced ISIS.
Despite extensive international investment in rebuilding the army, it suffered major setbacks in 2014 when ISIS captured large areas of northern Iraq and cities along the Tigris River. With support from the U.S.-led coalition, Kurdish Peshmerga, and Iranian-backed Shiite militias, the army eventually declared victory over ISIS in December 2017, though a low-level insurgency continues.
Faleh al-Fayyad, head of the PMF, also congratulated the Iraqi Army on its anniversary.
"We extend our warmest congratulations and blessings to the commanders, officers, and ranks of the army, recalling with pride the heroism and sacrifices made, especially in battles to defeat terrorism," he said.
Fayyad added that the PMF renews its commitment to “strengthen the unity and cohesion among all branches of our armed forces in defense of Iraq’s security and sovereignty, and to build a strong and secure state for all its citizens.”