Results 1 to 8 of 8

Thread: Suicide attacks - Iraq

  1. #1
    Council Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    The Levant
    Posts
    34

    Default Suicide attacks - Iraq

    Hi folks,

    I'm currently engaged in a project (academic/open source) looking at suicide attacks (specifically organisational capability to mount different attacks against different types of target).

    As part of this I'm interested in exploring the mechanics and TTPs of groups employing this tactic and I was wondering if council members had any pointers to useful public sources concerning the operation of suicide attack cells in Iraq (and possibly Afghanistan, though I've already got some good material there). There seems to be a bit of a gap on the Iraqi front (or I'm looking in the wrong places - hence the request).

    One of the few books published on the subject (Hafez, M 'Suicide Bombers in Iraq', USIP, 2007) doesn't really delve into this beyond discussing who might be responsible and what they target. The most useful thing I've found thus far on Iraq is an article in Defense News (Grant, G 'Inside Iraqi Insurgent Cells: Captured Terrorist Intel May Help Defeat IEDs', Defense News, 1 August 2005). Also some of the CTC's Harmony materials are useful re: recruitment etc.

    Anything in the public domain regarding organisational structures, recruitment/ training/motivation, ISR, device procurement/construction, logistical support, deployment and media exploitation (or frankly anything else) would be gratefully received.

    Thanks in advance,

    GH.

  2. #2
    Council Member MikeF's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Chapel Hill, NC
    Posts
    1,177

    Default

    GH,

    I wrote an article for SWJ magazine last spring that describes how AQ successfully cleared and occupied a town in Diyala Province. The article is mostly focused on the organizational, recruiting, and operations of AQ, but suicide attacks were used as a shaping tactic. Hopefully, this article is helpful. It may help serve as a start point for you.

    v/r

    Mike

    The Break Point: AQIZ establishes the ISI in Zaganiyah

  3. #3
    Council Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    The Levant
    Posts
    34

    Default Cheers

    Mike,

    Many thanks.

    An interesting article, not least because it places the use of the tactic in the context of an overall operation (i.e. taking and controlling the town) - to date I've been thinking almost exclusively about the tactical aspects, rather than the wider operational/strategic agenda/objectives of groups.

    A couple of tantalising little snippets in there too:

    The training camps operated in a five sequential phases: Phase One: Traffic Control Points, Phase Two: Basic Rifle Marksmanship, Phase Three: Infantry Tactics, Phase Four: Explosives, and Phase Five: Martyrdom Operations.
    and

    On 10 November, AQIZ overran the IP station with a spectacular attack consisting of a Suicide Car Bomber followed by an infantry assault.
    The latter is another aspect I am interested in. Is this the AQIZ equivalent of a combined arms* attack? And as such does it represent a higher degree of organizational capability? Interesting also because its the first time I've seen a mention of such an assault being successful (i.e. they overran the outpost).

    Thanks again for taking the time.

    GH

    *Wikipedia definition: Combined arms is an approach to warfare which seeks to integrate different arms of a military to achieve mutually complementary effects.

  4. #4
    Council Member davidbfpo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    13,366

    Default Not Iraq, pointers that might help

    TRy this link: http://www.iiss.org/conferences/coun...ng-and-europe/

    The speakers work might just help, especially that by the Israeli speaker. A quick thought over breakfast.

    david bfpo

  5. #5
    Council Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    The Levant
    Posts
    34

    Default

    David,

    Much appreciated.

    GH

  6. #6
    Council Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    North Side of Smith Lake
    Posts
    13

    Default I'm sure you've found it,but

    The CTC at west point has some great documents. The Sinjar Papers discuss much about recruiting.

    http://www.ctc.usma.edu/

  7. #7
    Council Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    The Levant
    Posts
    34

    Default

    Yep, I've downloaded the CTC material you refer to - just have to get round to processing it now.

    Thanks.

    GH

  8. #8
    Council Member Abu Buckwheat's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Insurgency University
    Posts
    143

    Default

    Sorry I am late to your request. PM me I have LOTS of information from research on my last book.
    Last edited by Abu Buckwheat; 11-27-2008 at 09:41 PM. Reason: poor spelling
    Putting Foot to Al Qaeda Ass Since 1993

Similar Threads

  1. Iraq and the Arab States on Its Borders
    By Jedburgh in forum Catch-All, OIF
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 02-18-2009, 07:51 PM
  2. US Senator's Iraq Trip Comments: WSJ 15 June 07
    By TROUFION in forum US Policy, Interest, and Endgame
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 06-18-2007, 04:26 PM
  3. Roggio Interview on the Media and Iraq
    By phil b in forum The Information War
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 05-23-2007, 03:10 PM
  4. Attacks in Iraq Down Considerably
    By SWJED in forum Blog Watch
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 01-23-2006, 10:33 PM
  5. Coalition Commander Calls Iraq Attacks 'Anomaly'
    By SWJED in forum The Whole News
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 01-07-2006, 01:49 AM

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •