Iraq celebrate army’s 105th anniversary with military college graduation

Shafaq News– Baghdad

On Tuesday, Iraq marked the 105th anniversary of the national army foundation with graduation ceremony of the 89th qualification course at the First Military College in Baghdad, overseen by caretaker Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani.

The occasion is observed as an official holiday, with government institutions and schools across the country closing for the day.

The army expanded over decades and took part in several wars, including the 1948 war following the declaration of the State of Israel in Palestine and the October 1973 war between Syria, Egypt and Israel. It was also involved in suppressing internal uprisings, most notably in the Kurdistan Region, which extended over many years.

During the 1980s, the Iraqi Army was listed as the world’s sixth-strongest force at the height of the eight-year war with Iran. However, it effectively broke down following the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, when the head of the US-led Coalition Provisional Authority, Paul Bremer, issued a decision dissolving the force.

The current army have grown in recent years to reach the hundreds of thousands, while it faces shortcomings in armament and equipment, particularly air defense.

Read more: Escalation and tension on the Iraqi Army's 103rd anniversary

In 2025, Iraq ranked 43rd globally and fourth among Arab countries in the Global Firepower (GFP) Military Strength Index, which assesses the defense capabilities of 145 countries worldwide.