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The Iraqi Republican Guard (RG) was the core of the Iraqi military. There were between 80,000 and 100,000 troops in the Republican Guard itself, and an additional 15,000-20,000 troops in the Special Republican Guard (SRG). Not counting troops of the SRG, the Republican Guard fields 2 Corps, consisting of 1 infantry division, 1 Special Forces Division, 2 mechanized divisions, and 3 armored divisions. The Special Republican Guard consisted of 4 brigades and 2 commands.
The Republican Guard were regular, uniformed troops, unlike the paramilitary Fedayeen.
Both the Republican Guard and the Special Republican Guard's armored units used T-72M1 tanks, the most advanced tank in Iraq's armored inventory.
Prior to the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the Republican Guard was located along the Tigris, to the north and south of Baghdad. The SRG was positioned along the Tigris, just south of the capital.
In 2002, it was reported that the Republican Guard and the Fedayeen Saddam were both training in urban street fighting and in guerilla warfare.
Order of Battle
- 1st Republican Guard (Northern) Corps
- 2nd Al Medina Armored Division
- 5th Baghdad Mechanized Division; a square division of four brigades, was able to be split into two small half-divisions.
- 7th Adnan Infantry Division
- 2nd Republican Guard (Southern) Corps
- Al Nida Armored Division
- 6th Nebuchadnezzer Mechanized Division
- 1st Hamurabi Armored Division
- As Saiqa Special Forces Division- independent unit containing:
- Special Republican Guard
- 1st Brigade (Security)
- 2nd Brigade (Combat)
- 3rd Brigade (Combat)
- 4th Brigade (Armored)
- Air Defense Command (Two Regiments, Three Batteries)
- Tank Command (Two Regiments)
On April 2, 2003, U.S. Brigadier General Vincent Brooks claimed that the Baghdad division of the Iraqi Republican Guard has been "destroyed". Iraq information minister Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf responded that this was another American "lie".
See also: military of Iraq, Regular Army, US plan to invade Iraq
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