Distribution Of Iraqi Forces Along The Frontline

Dr. Michael Knights of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy recently released a new report, “The Future of Iraq’s Armed Forces,” for the Bayan Center for Planning and Studies. The paper broke down the distribution of Iraq’s forces along the frontline. A plurality, 48% of the total, is in the Baghdad belts stretching from the capital to Fallujah in the west and Taji in the north. 20,000 of those are holding the perimeter around Fallujah and in western Baghdad in places like Abu Ghraib. 14 army and Federal Police Brigades, around 28,000 are in Baghdad itself providing security for the city itself.

Total on duty Army Federal Police &

Interior Min combat units

 Counter Terrorism

Forces

 Hashd Sunni and Tribal forces
Baghdad Operations

(Baghdad,

Fallujah,

Taji)

 83,150

(48.1%)

 50,000 22,000 3,000 5,500 650
Anbar Operations

(Ramadi)

 29,750

(16.8%)

 13,000 6,500 3,000 250 500
Samarra

Operations

(Samarra,

Tikrit,

Baiji)

 21,700

(12.2%)

 4,000 8,000 2,000 5,200 500
Tigris Operations

(Diyala,

Hamrin,

Tuz Kharmato)

 22,000

(12.4%)

 6,000 4,500 8,500
Jazeera and

Baida

Operations

(Haditha,

Assad,

Barwana)

 7,750

(4.3%)

 4,000 500 500 250 2,000
All Iraq 177,000

(100%)

SOURCES

Knights, Dr. Michael, “The Future of Iraq’s Armed Forces,” Al-Bayan Center for Planning and Studies, 3/9/16

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