SOF school promotes professionalism, loyalty and tolerance
Maj. Gen. Falah Hasan Kadhim Al-Mohamedawi, Director, Special Operations Academy
The Iraqi Counter-terrorism Service invests in developing well-educated fighters who respect humanity, reject ethno-sectarian discrimination and pledge loyalty only to Iraq. Before thinking of weapons and technologies, we focus on building fighters’ capacity. It was for this reason that the Iraqi Special Operations Forces Academy was founded as a cornerstone institution to build professional forces capable of deterring security threats.
The academy was established in 2009 and played a big role in standardizing all tactics and trainings of the Special Operations Forces. The academy consists of two entities, a Special Operations school and a counterterrorism school. Among its multiple roles, the academy prepares and trains new specialized fighters. It also provides specific training for tactical units before they embark on missions, and it conducts educational and developmental training periodically for counterterrorism units.
New fighters’ training begins the day they arrive at the academy from recruiting centers across the nation. The average class numbers about 500 to 600 men. This number consists of recruits who passed all medical and physical exams and other tests at the recruiting centers to filter potentially thousands of applicants down to a few hundred. We welcome them with a lecture about Iraqi Counter-terrorism Service policy and the academy rules, which I will mention later in the article. In the first month, we start with basic training and fitness, then move to the selection phase, which is considered the toughest period of training. It is conducted by professional trainers who specialize in fitness, endurance, the ability to cope with harsh conditions, psychological warfare and fighting morale. This training is considered a filter for the selection of commandos. Only 150 to 200 people complete it successfully. It is worth mentioning that, after Da’ish stepped up its aggression, we noticed an increase in our success rate. Many young Iraqis are enthusiastic about being part of an elite force that counters terrorists.
During commando training, we divide participants into four groups and start concentrated training on all weapons used by Special Operations. The training includes calibrating weapons and maintenance and troubleshooting during combat. Trainees are also exposed to harsh terrain, including water barriers, and learn to overcome obstacles with fast rope and mountain climbing rope. Inside our facility we have a town used for training in urban assault where troops conduct clearances home by home and room by room. We also train them to free hostages and protect the lives of civilians that terrorists use as shields. Urban fighting is an important part of the modern battlefield, and Special Operations Forces have used this training to retake many cities from Da’ish. Furthermore, we train troops to protect civilians and provide medical care to the injured. We focus on this training because it is derived from real world battlefield scenarios.
Live ammunition training follows. We assess whether a fighter can accurately hit the targets or whether he needs further training. The facility has many shooting ranges, each range designed for specific weapons, from pistols to sniper rifles. In addition to combat training, instructors prepare fighters for signal and communications, training them in communication devices, cryptology and eavesdropping. Operations security training includes information security, cultivating sources, surveillance and combat interrogation. When it comes to detainees, we emphasize respect for international law, human rights, professionalism and codes of conduct.
The academy graduates 4,500 fighters annually. Perhaps this number looks small, but our academy is in the business of forming an elite force. Our recruiting program encourages young Iraqis to join the Counter-terrorism Service; we publicize these programs online on Facebook, YouTube and over the air on Iraqi satellite stations. Several reports have aired in the local and international media about the academy and its graduates who are fighting Da’ish. These programs encourage Iraqis to support us, increase a sense of national identity and boost morale and pride in the heroism of these fighters. As a result, when we announce the opening of a new class, the recruiting centers are overwhelmed.
We also have educational and developmental programs for the new fighters and our tactical units. Every Friday, we show a documentary film about how honorable Soldiers should behave when dealing with civilians. We teach our fighters that civilians on battlefields are their people, people worthy of assistance who could provide support in the fight against terrorists. We also play videos from our media center about the current situation on the battlefield and discuss lessons learned with a focus on fighter readiness and how to standardize training to earn victory.
Fighter professionalism is also critical. The service’s policy is to maintain independence from any political entity or figure. We are a professional organization loyal only to Iraq. We don’t allow nepotism or sectarianism. We prohibit singling out any group or individual based on sect or ethnic affiliation within our organization. Any person who promotes sectarianism, regardless of rank, will be expelled immediately. This strict regulation was issued by the director of the Counter-terrorism Service and became our internal policy. These points are part of our first lecture in every class in the academy, so the participants leave their differences outside the academy and start their new journey with loyalty to the nation, tolerance and love and respect for their brothers in the organization regardless of their origin, sect and ethnicity.
Our commander, Gen. Talib Shaghati Al Kenani, encourages his forces, listens to their concerns and promotes nationalism among them. He insists that other commanders visit their Soldiers on the front lines and sow the seeds of love in this land among them. No doubt this policy has proven its worth in building brave fighters who stand up and fight and never abandoned their posts in defeating Da’ish. Furthermore, brotherhood among fighters was strengthened during fierce fighting, when a fighter from Mosul was wounded and his buddy from Basrah donated blood to him, mixing their blood together. This Soldier’s bloodstream is a mix of Kurdish, Sunni and Shia, which means his blood type is now Iraqi!
Following the Da’ish attack on Mosul, we noticed that the terrorists had changed tactics. Therefore, it was our duty to change ours. So we diversified our tactics to counter those of our enemy. Until then, urban fighting had not been an Iraqi Special Operations Forces specialty; in the past, we had focused on counterterrorism missions. But we have added many classes that take in urban and forest warfare to cover all the country’s terrain and added support weapons such as sniper rifles and mortars. We also added battlefield medical and leadership training for squadron and platoon leaders. There is a centralized command structure for the company-size elements or larger and a decentralized command structure for engagements at the squadron level. This gives the squadron leader authority to give orders to his unit because he is the person engaging the enemy and every minute counts. We also train them how to manage their forces and divide them into smaller groupings to engage and protect each other.
We wish to strengthen and enhance regional and international cooperation, whether in training or in the war against Da’ish. Because Da’ish is an international terrorist organization that does not stop at borders and threatens global security and peace, we must unite regional and global efforts to defeat the terrorists. Iraq trains continuously with Jordan.
We conduct many exercises with them and participate in multinational exercises like Eager Lion, which builds experience and teaches us about new technology and advanced tactics. We are happy for these training opportunities that provide forums to exchange skills among participating nations.
Unfortunately, we have no special operations cooperation or joint exercises with Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the rest of the Gulf nations. Of course, such programs need to be arranged at the government level. His Excellency Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi tried to build a bridge of friendship with neighboring nations. Saudi Arabia responded with an initiative to open an embassy in Baghdad. I think this is a great step. In addition to promoting regional cooperation, we have invited trainers from all over the world, from countries such as Norway, Italy, France, Belgium and the Netherlands. I always tell the trainers that one day I will invite them to bring their families and visit this great nation after Da’ish is defeated and security and peace are restored. I am optimistic that this day is not far away.
In conclusion, I would like to offer advice for our youth who will be leaders of the future. First, love of country is derived from faith. Your land is precious and worthy of protection. I wish, from the bottom of my heart, that the region will enjoy peace and stability. But I know very well that Da’ish terrorists have no mercy, human values or respect for Islam — they pose a threat to world peace and stability. I encourage our young men to consider joining the military, and I encourage our Soldiers to do more to build a national force that is above sectarianism and racism. We require a professional military that is capable of conducting its mission faithfully to defeat a Da’ish that recruits not only Iraqis and Syrians but terrorists from all over the world. I am praying for the day when the world celebrates the defeat of terrorism.