On Army Day: US praises Iraqi forces for defeating ISIS
Shafaq News– Baghdad/ Washington
The US Embassy in Baghdad on Tuesday honored Iraq’s security forces on the 105th anniversary of Iraqi Army Day, describing them as vital to defending national sovereignty.
As Iraq celebrates its 105th Iraqi Army Day, we honor the service and sacrifice of the Iraqi Security Forces, including the Peshmerga, in defending Iraq and protecting its sovereignty. The United States recognizes their critical role in securing the hard-won territorial victory…
— U.S. Embassy Baghdad (@USEmbBaghdad) January 6, 2026
In a statement, the embassy credited the Iraqi security forces, including the Peshmerga, with securing a “hard-won territorial victory” over ISIS, achieved in 2017 with support from the United States and its partners. It reaffirmed Washington's commitment to working with the Iraqi army as Baghdad “builds a safer, more prosperous future for its people.”
Read more: On ISIS defeat anniversary, Iraq confronts a reawakening insurgency
About the Iraqi Army
Iraq founded its modern military on January 6, 1921, when it formed the Imam Musa al-Kadhim Regiment as the country’s first formal unit.
The Iraqi Army fought in major regional conflicts, including the 1948 Arab-Israeli war following the declaration of “the state of Israel” in Palestine and the October 1973 war. At home, it conducted internal campaigns, most notably in the Kurdistan Region, where confrontations with Kurdish movements extended for decades.
During the 1980s and the eight-year Iran-Iraq war, international assessments ranked the Iraqi Army among the world’s most powerful, placing it sixth globally. That status collapsed after former president Saddam Hussein ordered the invasion of Kuwait in 1990, prompting the US-led Global Coalition to intervene and force Iraqi forces to withdraw in early 1991.
After the 2003 US-led invasion, Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) head Paul Bremer dissolved the army as part of what US officials described as a broader state overhaul.
Iraq later rebuilt its armed forces under a revised framework, ending compulsory service and adopting an all-volunteer model, with higher salaries used to attract recruits. Today, the Iraqi Army focuses primarily on internal security, has expanded to hundreds of thousands of personnel, and continues to face challenges in advanced weaponry and airspace protection.
Read more: Iraqi Army celebrates 102nd anniversary: status, needs, and wishes
