Allegiance Iraq Type Infantry | Branch Iraqi Army Size Division | |
 | ||
Active 1930s–2003
2005–present Country Kingdom of Iraq (1941–58)
Republic of Iraq (1958–68)
Ba'athist Iraq (1968–2003)
Iraq (2005–present) | ||
The 2nd Division is a formation of the Iraqi Army. It is theoretically headquartered at Mosul, but was driven out of that city by IS. The 2nd Division is one of the most experienced formations in the Iraqi Army.
It was certified and assumed operational responsibility for counter-insurgency operations in the city of Mosul on December 21, 2006. The 2nd Division’s battalions used to be former Iraqi National Guard units, and were manned predominately by Kurdish troops, some being former Peshmerga militia units. However, former prime-minister Maliki replaced Sunni Arab and Kurdish key commanders and soldiers with troops loyal to him.
Its subordinate formations include:
Three battalions from what was then the Iraqi army's 4th Brigade graduated basic training in a "march-on" ceremony at the Al Kasik Military Training Base west of Mosul, Oct. 15, 2004. Reports from 2005 indicated that the then 4th Brigade was a former Peshmerga formation. The 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division was formerly known as the 7th Brigade, IIF before the re-organization of the Iraqi Army. The 2nd Brigade of the 2nd Division is composed of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Battalions.
As of March 2008, the 2nd Division's headquarters was at Al Kindi Base, and the division was commanded by Brig. Gen. Mutaa al-Khazraji.
Before being disbanded in 2003, the previous 2nd Division had been one of the four original divisions of the Iraqi Army, being active in 1941. Under Saddam Hussein's rule it fought the Kurds in 1961–70, being able to reverse most of the Kurdish gains of their initial offensive of autumn 1961. However it began to suffer from desertion. In 1963 it was concentrated in eastern Kurdistan and probably took part in later offensives. The first Kurdish war ended with the Kurds being granted autonomy. (Kenneth Pollack, Arabs at War, 2002, p. 156-158) The division was later present in Kuwait during Operation Desert Storm. It was initially assigned to 2nd Corps in the Qasr as Sabiyah area, in mid January 1991, but had moved to just north of Al Jahra on 24 February 1991. (Pollack, 2002, p. 241)