Ansar al-Islam ( أنصار الإسلام ) is an armed Islamist organization operating mainly in Northern Kurdistan and the "Sunni Triangle . " The leader is Farazh Ahmad Nazhmuddin [1] . The organization is an ally of the Islamic state and, according to European intelligence services, has cells in many countries of the European Union [2] .
In 2001, Ansar al-Islam controlled about 10 villages with a population of 4,000 people in the area of Halabja near the Iranian border; detachments of militants totaled 600-700 people, with 4 Grad installations and four 106-mm cannons.
In February 2001, Ansar al-Islam saboteurs launched a major terrorist attack, killing Franco Hariri, a prominent leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party . On September 23, 2001, the Ansar al-Islam squad entered the village of Hama, captured 25 Peshmerga fighters and executed them. 12 thousand peshmerga Jalal Talabani were immediately thrown against the militants.
In 2003, US aircraft inflicted multiple air strikes on mountain camps and Ansar al-Islam positions, as the United States initially considered it the main future source of threat in post-Saddam Iraq.
Since 2004, the movement has spread activity to all the northern and central regions of Iraq under the new name Ansar al-Sunna. By 2007, Ansar al-Sunnah became the second largest and most powerful armed anti-government organization after al-Qaeda in Iraq . In 2008, the organization’s leadership decided to return the name Ansar al-Islam.
Notes
- ↑ 17 detained terrorists throughout Europe - "planned a terrorist attack in Northern Europe." // © Yle Uutiset = Yle News Service. = Site of the television and radio company Yleisradio Oy (yle.fi) November 12, 2015. (Retrieved November 12, 2015)
- ↑ The Central Criminal Police has denied reports of a terrorist being detained in Finland. // © Yle Uutiset = Yle News Service. = Site of the television and radio company Yleisradio Oy (yle.fi) November 12, 2015. (Retrieved November 12, 2015)