List of armed groups in the War in Iraq (2013–2017)

The following is a list of armed groups that participated in the War in Iraq from 2013 to 2017. This period saw a significant escalation of conflict following the withdrawal of US troops in 2011 and the subsequent rise of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), also known as Daesh. The war involved a complex web of state and non-state actors, with varying degrees of coordination and conflicting goals. This list aims to provide a general overview and may not be exhaustive.

Pro-Government Forces:

• Iraqi Army: The national army of Iraq, the primary fighting force of the Iraqi government. Received training and support from the United States and other international partners.
• Iraqi Federal Police: Responsible for law enforcement and internal security, often operating alongside the Iraqi Army in combat zones.
• Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) / Hashd al-Shaabi: An umbrella organization composed primarily of Shia militias, formed in 2014 in response to the ISIS offensive. Many of these groups had previously fought against US forces during the Iraq War and some maintained ties to Iran. Prominent factions included:
  • Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq (AAH)
  • Kata'ib Hezbollah (KH)
  • Badr Organization
  • Saraya al-Salam (Peace Brigades) - Loyal to Muqtada al-Sadr
• Peshmerga: The armed forces of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in northern Iraq. Played a crucial role in fighting ISIS in Kurdish-dominated areas.
• Tribal Mobilization Forces (Hashd al-Ashairi): Sunni tribal fighters who aligned with the Iraqi government and the PMF to fight ISIS. Often operated in their respective tribal territories.
• Counter Terrorism Service (CTS): An elite special forces unit directly under the command of the Prime Minister.

Anti-Government Forces (Principally ISIS):

• Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) / Daesh: A Salafi jihadist militant group that controlled significant territory in Iraq and Syria during this period. Declared a global caliphate in 2014 and committed numerous atrocities.
• Ansar al-Islam (Partisans of Islam): A Kurdish Islamist group that predates ISIS and had pledged allegiance to the organization at various points.

Other Armed Groups:

• Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK): A Kurdish militant group based in Turkey, with a presence in northern Iraq, fighting both ISIS and the Turkish state.
• Various Sunni Insurgent Groups: Pre-existing Sunni insurgent groups that opposed the Iraqi government and sometimes cooperated with or were absorbed by ISIS. The lines between these groups and ISIS were often blurred.

Notes:

• The alliances and affiliations of these groups were fluid and often shifted during the course of the war.
• The involvement of foreign fighters within various groups, particularly ISIS, was significant.
• This list is not exhaustive, and there were numerous smaller armed groups involved in the conflict.