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Operation Viking Hammer was an unconventional warfare operation during the
Iraq War The Iraq War (), also referred to as the Second Gulf War, was a prolonged conflict in Iraq lasting from 2003 to 2011. It began with 2003 invasion of Iraq, the invasion by a Multi-National Force – Iraq, United States-led coalition, which ...
which took place in northern
Iraq Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...
, commonly known as
Iraqi Kurdistan Iraqi Kurdistan or Southern Kurdistan () refers to the Kurds, Kurdish-populated part of northern Iraq. It is considered one of the four parts of Greater Kurdistan in West Asia, which also includes parts of southeastern Turkey (Northern Kurdist ...
. The goal of the operation was to eliminate Ansar al-Islam and dismantle the Islamic Emirate of Kurdistan. Ansar al-Islam was established by former
Al-Qaeda , image = Flag of Jihad.svg , caption = Jihadist flag, Flag used by various al-Qaeda factions , founder = Osama bin Laden{{Assassinated, Killing of Osama bin Laden , leaders = {{Plainlist, * Osama bin Lad ...
members in 2001 as a Kurdish Salafist movement that imposed a strict application of
Sharia Sharia, Sharī'ah, Shari'a, or Shariah () is a body of religious law that forms a part of the Islamic tradition based on Islamic holy books, scriptures of Islam, particularly the Quran, Qur'an and hadith. In Islamic terminology ''sharīʿah'' ...
in villages it controlled.


Background

Ansar al-Islam made its first appearance in
Iraqi Kurdistan Iraqi Kurdistan or Southern Kurdistan () refers to the Kurds, Kurdish-populated part of northern Iraq. It is considered one of the four parts of Greater Kurdistan in West Asia, which also includes parts of southeastern Turkey (Northern Kurdist ...
in December 2001. The group was founded by Mullah Krekar and made up of mostly Kurdish veterans of
Jihad ''Jihad'' (; ) is an Arabic word that means "exerting", "striving", or "struggling", particularly with a praiseworthy aim. In an Islamic context, it encompasses almost any effort to make personal and social life conform with God in Islam, God ...
coming back from Afghanistan following the end of the Soviet-Afghan War. From 2001 to 2003, they fought against US-backed Peshmerga in northern Iraq, and carved out the Islamic Emirate of Kurdistan around the border town of Halabja. The CIA also suspected Ansar al-Islam of manufacturing chemical weapons and the poison
Ricin Ricin ( ) is a lectin (a carbohydrate-binding protein) and a highly potent toxin produced in the seeds of the castor oil plant, ''Ricinus communis''. The median lethal dose (LD50) of ricin for mice is around 22 micrograms per kilogram of body ...
in a factory in the town of Sargat. In addition, at least two other militant Kurdish Islamic groups, the Kurdistan Islamic Movement and Kurdistan Justice Group (which later rekindled with the Kurdistan Regional Government) were operating in the region, and these generally aligned themselves with Ansar al-Islam. After Turkey had denied the U.S. 4th Infantry Division passage through their borders, the burden of carrying out the northern front of the war in Iraq fell on an ''ad hoc'' coalition of Americans to include CIA Special Activities Division (SAD) paramilitary operations officers,
Special Forces Special forces or special operations forces (SOF) are military units trained to conduct special operations. NATO has defined special operations as "military activities conducted by specially designated, organized, selected, trained and equip ...
soldiers from 10th SFG, U.S. Army
10th Mountain Division The 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) is a light infantry division (military), division in the United States Army based at Fort Drum, New York. Formerly designated as a mountain warfare unit, the division was the only one of its size in ...
, 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment and airborne units that parachuted into northern Iraq (however, the 173rd and 10th Mountain played no part in Operation Viking Hammer), and Kurdish
Peshmerga The Peshmerga () are the internal security forces of Kurdistan Region. According to the Constitution of Iraq, regional governments are responsible for "the establishment and organization of the internal security forces for the region such as p ...
forces of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan and Kurdish Democratic Party. The American forces were designated the Northern Iraq Liaison Element. Before beginning the attack south, the coalition forces first needed to destroy Ansar al-Islam's enclave in order to secure the Kurdish rear areas and free Kurdish forces to take part in the advance southwards.


Battle

Ansar al-Islam fighters held a series of mountaintop positions that offered them an advantage and a commanding view of the surrounding areas, but also left them vulnerable to airstrikes. Cruise missile strikes against Ansar al-Islam camp and surrounding positions were launched in the early hours of March 21, a total of 64
Tomahawk A tomahawk is a type of single-handed axe used by the many Native Americans in the United States, Indian peoples and nations of North America, traditionally resembles a hatchet with a straight shaft. Etymology The name comes from Powhatan langu ...
cruise missiles were fired as a preparatory barrage. The Americans originally planned to launch a ground attack immediately following the airstrikes, but most American forces were not in place. Once more American troops arrived, the date of the attack was set for March 28. The plan called for four lines of advance for the Peshmerga, with each force accompanied by U.S. Special Forces and CIA paramilitary officers. On the day before the battle, the Kurdistan Islamic Group, led by Ali Bapir, which had been allied with Ansar al-Islam, surrendered after having around 100 of their men killed in the March 21 strikes and being unable to move forward. The ground attack consisted of a six-pronged advance, with each prong was composed of several ODAs from 3rd battalion, 10th SFG and upwards of 1,000 Peshmerga. The attack from the south on the morning of the 28th was met with heavy fire from the Ansar defenders. Airstrikes were called in and the defenders routed. The Peshmerga and U.S. advisors pursued them and captured the town of Gulp hours ahead of schedule. The majority of the Ansar fighters retreated to the town of Sargat where they made their final stand. Advancing on Sargat, the Peshmerga and Americans were pinned down for three hours by mortar and machine gunfire. Unable to call in airstrikes or contact friendly forces due to the deep valley blocking radio signals, the Special Forces soldiers used a
Barrett M82 The Barrett M82 (standardized by the U.S. military as the M107) is a Recoil operation, recoil-operated, semi-automatic rifle, semi-automatic anti-materiel rifle developed by Barrett Firearms Manufacturing and produced in the United States. Als ...
.50 caliber anti-material sniper rifle to take out Ansar al-Islam machine gun crews while the Peshmerga brought up artillery. The combination of artillery support and accurate long-range sniper fire drove the Ansar al-Islam forces from the town. Pursuing Ansar fighters into the hills, American and Peshmerga forces were again pinned down by machine-gun fire and had to call in more airstrikes before darkness put an end to the day's fighting. During the night, four AC-130 gunships maintained the pressure on the retreating Ansar al-Islam militants as they pulled back toward the Iranian border. The next day, the Americans and Peshmerga pursued the Ansar al-Islam forces further into the mountains, towards the Iranian border. Many fighters attempted to flee across the border, only to be arrested by the Iranians. Many were sent back across the border and were later captured by Kurdish forces. However, Kurdish sources allege that Iran in fact harbored many Ansar al-Islam fighters.


Aftermath

Operation Viking Hammer had eliminated Ansar al-Islam's presence in northern Iraq, and allowed Kurdish units to join the fight against Iraqi troops in northern Iraq. American intelligence personnel inspected the suspected chemical weapons site in Sargat and discovered traces of
Ricin Ricin ( ) is a lectin (a carbohydrate-binding protein) and a highly potent toxin produced in the seeds of the castor oil plant, ''Ricinus communis''. The median lethal dose (LD50) of ricin for mice is around 22 micrograms per kilogram of body ...
in the ruins, as well as
potassium chloride Potassium chloride (KCl, or potassium salt) is a metal halide salt composed of potassium and chlorine. It is odorless and has a white or colorless vitreous crystal appearance. The solid dissolves readily in water, and its solutions have a sa ...
. They also discovered chemical weapon suits,
atropine Atropine is a tropane alkaloid and anticholinergic medication used to treat certain types of nerve agent and pesticide poisonings as well as some types of slow heart rate, and to decrease saliva production during surgery. It is typically give ...
nerve gas antidotes, and manuals on manufacturing chemical weapons, lending credence to the idea that the site was related to the manufacture of chemical weapons and poisons. In a 2004 '' U.S. News & World Report'' article, "A firefight in the mountains", the author states: :"Viking Hammer would go down in the annals of Special Forces history—a battle fought on foot, under sustained fire from an enemy lodged in the mountains, and with minimal artillery and air support." Seven U.S. Army Special Forces soldiers were awarded the Silver Star for their actions around Sargat and 52 soldiers received the Bronze Stars with valor. Four members of the SAD paramilitary team received CIA's rare Intelligence Star for "extraordinary heroism" in combat.


References


External links


A firefight in the mountains (U.S. News & World Report)Masters of Chaos, Chapter 13 "Viking Hammer"
{{DEFAULTSORT:Viking Hammer, Operation March 2003 in Iraq Halabja Governorate 2003 in Iraqi Kurdistan Military operations of the 2003 invasion of Iraq Military operations of the Iraq War involving the United States Military operations of the Iraq War involving the Peshmerga Central Intelligence Agency operations