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The IMK-Peshmerga was the military branch of the Kurdistan Islamic Movement (IMK) from the foundation of the IMK in 1987 until its disarmament in 2003. The IMK-Peshmerga was an official branch of the Peshmerga.

History

Osman Abdulaziz returned from exile in Iran in 1987 and founded the IMK, which had political and military branches. The IMK stronghold was Halabja Governorate for both political support and militant activity. During the Iran–Iraq War, the IMK-Peshmerga fought against Saddam Hussein as a part of the Peshmerga, alongside the KDP-Peshmerga and PUK-Peshmerga. After the Halabja chemical attack, Osman Abdulaziz declared a jihad against Saddam Hussein. The IMK-Peshmerga also fought in the 1991 Iraqi uprisings, when Osman Abdulaziz declared a second jihad against Saddam Hussein, which rapidly increased the popularity and strength of the IMK-Peshmerga. Mullah Krekar was the general commander of the IMK-Peshmerga from the 1991 Iraqi uprisings until 2001 when he left it.

The 1991 Iraqi uprisings led to the establishment of the Kurdistan Region. The Kurdistan Regional Government was formed as its governing body, and the Peshmerga, which was a guerrilla group, became the official armed forces. The IMK was not included in the KRG. Despite also being a Peshmerga unit, the IMK-Peshmerga was not a part of the new Peshmerga under the KRG. Regardless, the IMK continued to control Halabja Governorate. In 1992, the IMK-Peshmerga began infiltrating PUK territory in Sulaymaniyah Governorate, and the PUK-Peshmerga captured Halabja in December 1993, and detained Osman Abdulaziz and forced most IMK members into exile in Iran.

In 1994, the Iraqi Kurdish Civil War had began, between the KDP and PUK. In 1996, the PUK returned the Halabja Governorate to the IMK. This began the Islamic Emirate of Kurdistan, which was a part of the Kurdistan Region, although it was not governed by the KRG. The Islamic Emirate had its own governing Shura, law enforcement, schools, and military, which was the IMK-Peshmerga. Its status was that of an autonomous region within an autonomous region.

In 1997, the IMK and PUK agreed to a truce, in which the IMK officially joined the KRG in 1998 and was allowed to partake in elections, with the IMK-Peshmerga becoming a part of the Peshmerga. The IMK began receiving funds from Saudi Arabia and the United States. Many IMK-Peshmerga renounced their allegiance to the IMK and formed new groups. The groups included the Islamic Resistance Movement led by Hassan Sofi, who was assassinated by the IMK-Peshmerga in 1998. The Second Soran Unit, which was the most powerful unit of the IMK-Peshmerga, under the command of Aso Hawleri, also became a separate unit. Other groups included the Tawhid Islamic Front led by Abu Bakr Hawleri, Islah led by Mullah Krekar and the KJG led by Ali Bapir. The new groups took control of the Islamic Emirate of Kurdistan and agreed on Mullah Krekar as the leader. The Islamic Emirate ended after Operation Viking Hammer in 2003. Despite the IMK-Peshmerga being rebranded as an official Peshmerga wing, the United States pressured the KRG to formally disband the IMK-Peshmerga in 2003. Afterwards, the IMK was presented as a strictly political organisation.

References

1. Van Wilgenburg, Vladimir. "Syria war brings al-Qaeda threat to Iraqi Kurdistan." Al-Monitor, 14 December 2013. Web. 27 July 2015.; "Profile: Kurdish Islamist movement." BBC News, 13 Jan. 2003. Web. 27 July 2015.; Van Wilgenburg, Vladimir. "Islamic State Threatens Kurdish Clerics." Medium, 8 Feb. 2015. Web. 28 July 2015.
2. "بزووتنەوەی ئیسلامی:بەهۆی خراپی حوکمڕانی کوردی، هاووڵاتیان ئینتیمایان نەماوەو خۆزگە بەدەسەڵاتی بێگانە دەخوازن". باسک نێت. 2024-03-04. Retrieved 2024-12-09.
3. Kakei, Saed. "The Islamic Movement of Kurdistan: From conflict to cooperation." EKurd Daily, 25 March 2013. Web. 28 July 2015.; Romano, David. "An Outline of Kurdish Islamist Groups in Iraq." The Jamestown Foundation, September 2007. Web. 27 July 2015.
4. ”Mullah Krekar”, Society for Recognition of Famous People, Date unknown. Web. 27 July 2015; Romano, David. "An Outline of Kurdish Islamist Groups in Iraq." The Jamestown Foundation, September 2007. Web. 27 July 2015.
5. Romano, David. "An Outline of Kurdish Islamist Groups in Iraq." The Jamestown Foundation, September 2007. Web. 27 July 2015.
6. Naylor, Hugh. "Iraq's Islamist Kurds under fire from both sides of the war." 22 Sept. 2014. Web. 28 July 2015.; Romano, David. "An Outline of Kurdish Islamist Groups in Iraq." The Jamestown Foundation, September 2007. Web. 27 July 2015.; "Iraq: Human Rights Abuses In Iraqi Kurdistan Since 1991." New York: Amnesty International USA, 1995: 98-130
7. "Iraqi Report: June 11, 2004." Radio Free Europe 7(21), 11 June 2004. Web. 28 July 22015.; Naylor, Hugh. "Iraq's Islamist Kurds under fire from both sides of the war." 22 Sept. 2014. Web. 28 July 2015.; "Iraq: Human Rights Abuses In Iraqi Kurdistan Since 1991." New York: Amnesty International USA, 1995: 20; "Prominent Iraqi Islamic Groups." Islamopedia, Date unknown. Web. July 28 2015.; c.f. Kakei, Saed. "The Islamic Movement of Kurdistan: From conflict to cooperation." EKurd Daily, 25 March 2013. Web. 28 July 2015.
8. Romano, David. "An Outline of Kurdish Islamist Groups in Iraq." The Jamestown Foundation, September 2007, pg. 9-10.
9. Romano, David. "An Outline of Kurdish Islamist Groups in Iraq." The Jamestown Foundation, September 2007. Web. 27 July 2015.
10. 16 "Iraqi Report: June 11, 2004." Radio Free Europe 7(21), 11 June 2004. Web. 28 July 22015.; Romano, David. "An Outline of Kurdish Islamist Groups in Iraq." The Jamestown Foundation, September 2007. Web. 27 July 2015.; "Profile: Kurdish Islamist movement." BBC News, 13 Jan. 2003. Web. 27 July 2015.
11. Van Wilgenburg, Vladimir. "Islamic State Threatens Kurdish Clerics." Medium, 8 Feb. 2015. Web. 28 July 2015

• Kurdish Islamism
• Peshmerga