A Radical Islamic Group in Iraqi Kurdistan Ansar al-Islam...

Introduction Ansar al-Islam (AAI) issue titled the magazine and TV in September 2001, when it killed forty-two Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) fighters. This was awakened up the Kurds, who rapidly built up a conventional defensive front. It was very clearly apparent that the Kurdish was the main objective as priority of the new jihadist war, (Schanzer 2004: 43). The group was established in Kurdistan region in 2001 as a Salafist Islamist organization imposed a strict application of the Sharia in some villages around Halabja city, near the Iranian border. After the US invasion of Iraq, AAI became a clandestine insurgent group, which fought against the Kurdish political parties and the US armies and its Iraqi allies. Currently, the group†¦show more content†¦While Kurdish had unsuccessfully contested parliamentary elections in 1992, the Islamic Movement of Kurdistan kept it away from participation Kurdish administration, relying instead on growing and strengthening a distinct administra tive, military and political structure in fields under its own power, (Zenko 2009: 618 Human Right Watch 2003). The IMK fragmented over power struggle as well as policy distinctions during 1997. Some smaller groups with the IMK, which advocated a more radical and ultra-orthodox Islamic ideology, also splintered form, the movement at different times. Of these groups, the most significantly militaries were factions namely the Soran Forces, Tawhid and Hamas. These smaller splinter groups themselves regularly unified, On September 1, 2001, they announced Jundal Islam (Soldiers of Islam) organization. The group very soon changed its name for Ansar al-Islam (Supporters of Islam) in December 2001, and then it declared jihad (holy war) against apostates and other secular political parties in Kurdistan, that was because the group did not accept the Kurdish sculler administration. AAI was financially and military sponsored by al-Qaeda, Iran and Wahhabi basic in Saudi Arabia. Najmuddin Faraj Ahmad (Mala Fateh Krekar), whom a long member of the IMK became the leader (Emir) of Ansar al-Islam, (Joscelyn Ro ggio 2012, Zenko 2009: 618-19 and Rubin 2004: 6). However, in the face of rise