9th Division (Iraq)

9th Armoured Division
Active 1975–82
August 2005 – present
Country Iraq Ba'athist Iraq (1975–82)
 Iraq (2005–present)
Allegiance  Iraq
Branch Iraqi Army
Type Armoured
Size Division
Garrison/HQ Camp Taji, Iraq
Equipment M1 Abrams tanks
M113 APC's
T-72
BTR-4
BM-21 Grad
EE-9 Cascavel
Engagements

Iran–Iraq War

Iraq War

Commanders
Current
commander		 Lieutenant-General Qassim Jassem Nazal
9th Division M1 Abrams in Camp Taji, Iraq.
The commander of the 9th Armoured Division walks with an American general through a market in Baghdad, 11 March 2007

The 9th Armoured Division is a formation of the Iraqi Army, originally formed probably around 1975,[1] but disbanded in 1982. It was reformed after 2004.

The division was formed as part of the buildup of the Iraqi Army after the Yom Kippur War. It appears to have seen its first action in the initial Iraqi invasion of Khuzestan, which began the Iran–Iraq War. It fought in several battles in 1980–81, but then was so badly beaten in the First Battle of al-Basrah (Operation Ramadan), in July 1982, that it was disbanded. The 9th Division was the only Iraqi division to be disbanded without being reformed during the war.[2]

The Division was reformed after the recreation of the Iraqi Army began after 2003. It was certified and assumed responsibility of the battle space of north Baghdad Governorate June 26, 2006.[3] One of the division's commanders has been Gen. Riyadh Jalal Tawfiq, who was eventually promoted to Lieutenant General and took over the Ninevah Operational Command.[4] Other divisional commander have included Major General Bashar Mahmood Ayob (2006)[5] and, as of April 2009, Major General Qassim Jassem Nazal.[6]

The 9th Armoured Division has a territorial security mission in the region north of Baghdad, but it is also one of the principal reaction rapid units of the Iraqi Army. After the renumbering of brigades of the army, its subordinate formations include:

The artillery is a mix of M198, M109, and BM21s in the 9th Armoured Division. As the 9th Armoured Division upgrades, its older armor [T55/T72/BMP1/MTLBs] has been redistributed to other Iraqi Divisions:

Of note, 9th Division provides armor instructors to the Iraqi Armor School. The presence of BTR-4s in 9th Divisions has never been confirmed as anything except training elements. Its 4th Brigade received 35 refurbished EE-9 Cascavel armoured cars from the United States in January 2008;[7][8] these are now operated by the 37th Mechanized.[9] In the prelude to the American withdrawal from Iraq, additional purchases of LAV-25s and parts for mothballed French Panhard AML-90s were also reported – presumably to supplement the other reconnaissance vehicles already in service.[9]

Notes

  1. ↑ This date is based on the successive entries in the IISS Military Balance for 1974–75, 1975–76, and 1976–77. A third armoured division, in addition to the two (3rd and 6th) that deployed to the 1973 war, appears in the 1975–76 edition.
  2. ↑ Pollack, Arabs at War, 2002, p. 204–205
  3. ↑ http://www.mnf-iraq.com/Publications/TWII/060626.pdf This Week in Iraq – MNF-I Newsletter, June 26, 2006
  4. ↑ "In Mosul, New Test Of Rebuilt Iraqi Army". military-quotes.com. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
  5. ↑ "DVIDS – News – ISF, MND-B leaders discuss Shaab, Ur phase of Operation Together Forward". DVIDS. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
  6. ↑ "DVIDS – News – Iron Brigade hosts luncheon to say goodbye to Mada'in Qada Leaders". DVIDS. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
  7. ↑ "Iraqi Army Unit receives armored vehicles". blackanthem.com. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
  8. ↑ "US hands over 35 Cascavels to Iraqi Army". DVIDS. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
  9. 1 2 "Iraqi Army develops its light armored forces". Long War Journal. Retrieved 11 October 2014.

References

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