Weapons & tactics of Iran-backed Badr combat force, investiture of Fallujah

Sixty video stills from two YouTube videos posted 11JUN15 and 12JUN15, depicting fighting advance of an Iran-backed Badr combat force in the vicinity of Saqlawiyah, the objective being military investiture of Fallujah.

Video Part 1:

U.S. supplied M1A1M main battle tank attached to Iran-backed Badr combat force, fitted with sectarian flag featuring likeness of Imam Hussein.

Formerly U.S. supplied to ISF, HMMWV seen modified with top-mounted turret fitted with ZU-23-2 autocannon and operated by Iran-backed Badr combat force.

Formerly U.S. supplied to ISF, HMMWV seen modified with top-modified turret fitted with what appears to be KPV type 14.5 heavy machine gun, operated by Iran-backed Badr combat force.

View of turret for above HMMWV, with Iran-backed Badr military wing markings clearly visible

Formerly U.S.-supplied to ISF, HMMWV seen modified with addition of steel plate attached to front of vehicle, operated by Iran-backed Badr combat force.

Wheel loader improvised into ACEV. Note Badr paramilitary in foreground equipped with U.S.-supplied AT-4 anti-tank weapon.

Badr paramilitary fighters armed with what appear to be U.S.-supplied M16 type assault rifles

Badr paramilitary fighter equipped with U.S.-supplied AT4 anti-tank weapon

Turkish-origin Otokar APV operated within Iran-backed Badr combat force

T-72 type main battle tank seen in IRGC-GF camouflage scheme, alongside Iran-backed Badr paramilitary fighter equipped with what may be a U.S.-supplied M16 type assault rifle.

Formerly U.S.-supplied to ISF, up-armored HMMWV fitted with 9M133 Kornet ATGM and operated by PMF

Badr combat operation depicting PKM gunner firing behind stacked cinder-block cover, while T-72 type MBT in IRGC-GF camouflage scheme provides direct fire support.

Iran-backed Badr paramilitary advance toward what appear to be prepared ISIL positions withdrawn or neutralized

ISIL-operated VBIED successfully hit and destroyed by Iran-backed Badr paramilitary equipped with AT4 anti-tank weapon.

Hostile position, identified with ISIL flag

Position captured from ISIL by Iran-backed combat force, hoisting of Badr and Iraqi national flags

Captured ISIL-held position, with knocked out DShK heavy machine gun

Jubilant Iran-backed Badr paramilitary fighters, amid previously U.S.-supplied to Iraqi Army M113A2 armored personnel carriers.

Iran-supplied Safir ("Ambassador") tactical vehicle equipped with M40 type recoilless gun, operated by Badr combat force.

Indirect fire by IRAM, during Iran-backed Badr combat operation in the vicinity of Saqlawiyah

Uniform adornment with image of Grand Ayatollah Sistani, in the style of adornment used by Iranian forces for Ayatollah Khomeini during the Iran-Iraq War three decades ago.


Video Part 2:

Iran-backed Badr paramilitary rifleman, firing beside U.S.-supplied Caiman MRAP

Iran-backed Badr paramilitary, firing turret machine gun atop U.S.-supplied Caiman MRAP

Formerly U.S.-supplied to Iraqi Army M113A2 armored personnel carrier, accompanied by Iran-backed Badr combat infantry force

Iran-backed Badr fighter firing PKM type machine gun, beside Badr-modified HMMWV equipped with top-mounted, turreted ZU-23-2 autocannon.

Iran-backed Badr ZU-23-2 gunner's view, within above HMMWV open-top turret

PKM type machine gun firing port, within Iran-backed Badr fighting vehicle

Reloading of armament for Iran-backed Badr fighting vehicle. Note Badr sleeve uniform patch on foreground figure.

Iran-backed Badr sapper, in action during combat operation in the vicinity of Saqlawiyah

IqAAC lieutenant colonel and major, coordinating helicopter support for Iran-backed Badr combat force

Iran-backed Badr paramilitary combat force leader

HMMWV and MBT festooned with Badr military identification

Firing of main armament, Badr-attached M1A1M main battle tank

Badr paramilitary advance behind T-72 type main battle tank

Firing of main armament, Badr-attached T-72 type main battle tank

T-72 type main battle tank in IRGC-GF style camouflage scheme, U.S.-supplied Guardian Armored Security Vehicle and U.S.-supplied M113A2 armored personnel carriers.

Halted advance of Iran-backed Badr AFVs

U.S.-supplied Caiman MRAP, brought to the forefront of road-bound Badr vehicle convoy 

Iran-backed Badr paramilitary fighters advancing towards neutralized ISIL fortified position

ISIL fortified position neutralized by Iran-backed Badr paramilitary combat force 

Iran-backed Badr military commanders, outfitted in khaki and keffiyeh

Iran-backed Badr paramilitary, noteworthy for wearing a helmet

ISIL position neutralized by Iran-backed Badr paramilitary combat force 

ISIL fortified position neutralized by Iran-backed Badr paramilitary combat force 

Badr paramilitary firing PKM type machine gun behind T-72 type main battle tank

T-72 type main battle tank, traversing to position frontal armor in direction of incoming hostile fire

Iran-supplied T-72 main battle tank attached to Badr paramilitary combat force

Iran-backed Badr IRAM launcher, providing indirect fire against ISIL position

VIDEOS:

Iraqi Militia Leader Slams Army “Weaklings” at Battle of Tikrit

Hadi al-Amiri, the leader of Badr Organization and a key Iran operative in Iraq, today harshly criticized what he called “weaklings” at senior ranks of the Iraqi military for their call for U.S.-led coalition airstrikes against ISIL positions in Tikrit.

“Some of the weaklings in the army say we need Americans, while we say we do not need the Americans,” Amiri told reporters at Camp Ashraf, north of Baghdad. (AFP, 22 March)

Iraqi Lt. Gen. Abdulwahab al-Saadi, a senior field commander at Tikrit, had told AFP that he had requested U.S.-led coalition airstrikes against ISIL as they were needed to win the battle in a more efficient and less costly manner. The Pentagon said it has received no requests by the Iraqi government to launch airstrikes at Tikrit, AFP reported.

Although the Battle of Tikrit began under the command of Quds Force Gen. Qasem Soleimeni on 2 March, but the Iranian general has returned to Iran since the fighting came to a halt last week and it was increasingly unclear who, if any one, now has overall command of the operation, AFP reported. It was not clear when Soleimani would return to Iraq.

While Iran-led coalition forces were able to take control of towns near Tikrit, but fighting to clear ISIL insurgents from the city itself has proved to be more difficult. The Iraqi military has said the offensive is halted until the arrival of new reinforcements. There are reportedly more than 20,000 militia fighters and nearly 5,000 Iraqi troops now surrounding Tikrit, which is being defended by few hundred ISIL insurgents. When the offensive operation begins, the coalition, with its huge advantage in troop strength, should face no serious problem clearing ISIL fighters from Tikrit. 

“We will not enter Tikrit until after the completion of the necessary preparations,” said Amiri. (AFP, 22 March)

Amiri did not say what types of preparations the militia and the army were working on, or why those preparations were not made before the start of the offensive.

File photo: Badr organization leader Hadi al-Amiri (left) with Quds Force Commander General Qasem Soleimani, November 2014 (mashreqnews.ir/ISNA)

Iranian MLRS on the Iraqi battlefield

A recap of Iranian Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) types fielded on the Iraqi battlefield against ISIL

Photo appearing on social media week of 09DEC14 claiming to depict Iranian-built SBIG/DIO Hadid HM-20 122 mm MLRS in use with Peshmerga forces in Iraqi Kurdistan. Forty-tube launcher system fires Arash-series rockets. Older platform at left utilizes Mercedes-Benz NG 2626; right platform the newer MAN HX series.

Photo appearing on social media week of 09DEC14 claiming to depict Iranian-built SBIG/DIO Hadid HM-20 120 mm MLRS in use with Iraqi Army at Diyala Governate.

Video still appearing week of 21OCT14 claiming to depict Iranian SBIG/DIO Hadid HM-20 122 mm MLRS in use with Badr Organization Military Wing.

Video still appearing week of 28OCT14 depicting Iranian DIO HM-27 122 mm MLRS in use with Iraqi forces during successful operation to retake Jurf al-Sakhar. Eight-tube launcher system mounted on Toyota Land Cruiser 70 series platform.

Photo published in Iranian media week of 25OCT14 depicting AAH Deputy Commander Tabatabai and militiamen before an Iranian DIO HM-27 122 mm MLRS.

Photos appearing on social media week of 06JUL14 claiming to depict DIO Fajr-1 107 mm MLRS in use with Iraqi forces. Twelve-tube launcher system fires Haseb-series rockets; mounted on FVI Safir ("Ambassador") 4x4 multipurpose military vehicle.