Narrative
Narrative of the Organization's History
Narrative of the Organization's History
Leadership, Name Changes, Size Estimates, Resources, Geographic Locations
Ideology, Aims, Political Activities, Targets, and Tactics
First Attacks, Largest Attacks, Notable Attacks
Foreign Designations and Listings, Community Relations, Relations with Other Groups, State Sponsors and External Influences
Mapping relationships with other militant groups over time in regional maps
AS Shariah followed an extreme interpretation of Islam with a focus on Iraqi nationalism. AS Shariah advocated for fighting Shiite influence in Iraq, though not as vigorously as AQI. As part of RJF, one of AS Shariah's short-term goals was to unite all of the Iraqi militant factions together in a unified front.[12] In the header of the Reform and Jihad Front's official website there was a Qur'anic quote stating, "And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allah (i.e. the Qur'an), and do not be divided amongst yourselves." In the long term, the group strived to liberate Iraq from foreign forces and establish a state ruled by Sharia Law.[13]
AS Shariah did not consider the 2008 Iraqi government to be legitimate, labeling it as a "traitor" government because of its close work with the U.S. military.[14] However, they did not rule out the possibility of working within a political system based on elections and popular consensus as long as that system conformed to Islamic laws.[15]
AS Shariah was part of the political front organization, the Political Council of Iraqi Resistance (PCIR). This council showed greater political flexibility than other jihadist groups. It entered into talks with U.S. forces and in 2011 sources said they quietly backed candidates for the Iraqi Parliament.[16]
AS Shariah, as part of the Jihad and Reform Front, strictly targeted foreign forces within Iraq, especially U.S. military personnel.[17]
In 2009, AS Shariah’s “Science and Technology Body” reportedly developed a missile named the Ansar Arrow. The missile had a range of 70 kilometers and was capable of carrying chemical, conventional, and nuclear payloads. Despite a 51-page manual and instructional video, it cannot be verified this missile was ever used or actually manufactured by the organization.[18]
Disclaimer: These are some selected major attacks in the militant organization's history. It is not a comprehensive listing but captures some of the most famous attacks or turning points during the campaign.
There is very little information on AS Shariah’s attacks.
July 29, 2009: AS Shariah allegedly released a video showing a bombing of a US vehicle in Diyala Province.[19]
AS Shariah is not a designated terrorist organization, but its parent organization, Ansar al-Islam, was designated by the United States in Chapter Six of the 2011 Country Reports on Terrorism.[20]
AS Shariah's relationship with the community was unknown, although it did not agree with AQI-style attacks on Iraqi civilians and joined the Jihad and Reform Front partly in response to the cruel practices of AQI.[21]
AS Shariah is part of two front organizations: Jihad and Reform Front (RJF) and the Political Council of Iraqi Resistance (PCIR).[22] AS Shariah joined both of these groups in 2007. Because of this participation, AS Shariah likely had favorable relations with the groups in the RJF, including the Islamic Army in Iraq and the Mujahedeen Army, and groups in the PCIR, including Hamas Iraq.[23]
AS Shariah and Ansar al-Islam (AI, formerly Ansar al-Sunnah) had a tenuous relationship. AQI’s targeting of civilians appeared to be a precipitating factor for the split, with AS Shariah opposed to AQI’s cruel tactics against civilians.[24] The RJF, of which AS Shariah was a founding member, also had a running feud with AQI over tactics. For their part, AQI sought to sabotage RJF activities, such as reconciliation talks with the Iraqi government.[25] The last known activity of the RJF was through the PCIR in 2010.[26] As of March 2019, no further information on the RJF’s more recent activities, if any, was available.
There was little evidence of AS Shariah having any external influences; however, researchers suggested that RJF received assistance from Saudi donors.[27]
[1] Fishman, Brian H. The Master Plan: ISIS, Al-Qaeda, and the Jihadi Strategy for Final Victory. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2017.
[2]Ackerman, Spencer. "Guantánamo Release of Six to Uruguay Will Not Impact Force-feeding Lawsuit." The Guardian. December 07, 2014. Accessed March 10, 2019. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2014/dec/07/guantanamo-release-five-... Fishman, Brian H. The Master Plan: ISIS, Al-Qaeda, and the Jihadi Strategy for Final Victory. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2017.
[3] "Jihad Organizations in Iraq Establish New Front." MEMRI: Islamist Websites Monitor No. 95. Web. 24 July 2015. https://www.memri.org/reports/islamist-websites-monitor-91-95
[4] Abu Rumman, Muhammad. "Sunnis in Iraq's Election: An Evolving Balance of Power." Arab Reform Bulletin of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. February 24, 2010. Retrieved from http://www.carnegieendowment.org/2010/02/24/sunnis-and-iraq-s-elections-evolving-balance-of-power/2fp
[5] Abu Rumman, Muhammad. "Sunnis in Iraq's Election: An Evolving Balance of Power." Arab Reform Bulletin of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. February 24, 2010. Retrieved from http://www.carnegieendowment.org/2010/02/24/sunnis-and-iraq-s-elections-...
[6] Al-Tamimi, Aymen J. "Jamaat Ansar Al-Sunna." Aymen Jawad. October 22, 2014. Accessed July 5, 2018. http://www.aymennjawad.org/15528/jamaat-ansar-al-sunna.
[7] Fishman, Brian H. The Master Plan: ISIS, Al-Qaeda, and the Jihadi Strategy for Final Victory. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2017.
[8] "Appendix B -Statement of Reasons - Ansar Al-Islam (formerly Ansar Al-Sunna)." Australian House Committee. Accessed March 10, 2019. https://www.aph.gov.au/parliamentary_business/committees/house_of_representatives_committees?url=pjcis/six%20terrorist/report/appendix%20b.pdf
[9] "Appendix B -Statement of Reasons - Ansar Al-Islam (formerly Ansar Al-Sunna)." Australian House Committee. Accessed March 10, 2019. https://www.aph.gov.au/parliamentary_business/committees/house_of_representatives_committees?url=pjcis/six%20terrorist/report/appendix%20b.pdf
[10] Abu Rumman, Muhammad, "Politics of Sunni Armed Groups in Iraq." Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: Arab Reform Bulletin. Retrieved on July 24, 2011 from http://www.carnegieendowment.org/2008/08/18/politics-of-sunni-armed-groups-in-iraq/cb6
[11] "Appendix B -Statement of Reasons - Ansar Al-Islam (formerly Ansar Al-Sunna)." Australian House Committee. Accessed March 10, 2019. https://www.aph.gov.au/parliamentary_business/committees/house_of_representatives_committees?url=pjcis/six%20terrorist/report/appendix%20b.pdf
[12] Gregory, Kathryn. "Ansar Al-Islam (Iraq, Islamists/Kurdish Separatists), Ansar Al-Sunnah." Council on Foreign Relations. November 5, 2008. Accessed March 10, 2019. https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/ansar-al-islam-iraq-islamistskurdish-se....
[13] "Jihad Organizations in Iraq Establish New Front." MEMRI: Islamist Websites Monitor No. 95. Web. 24 July 2015. https://www.memri.org/reports/islamist-websites-monitor-91-95
[14] "The Politics of Sunni Armed Groups in Iraq." Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Web. 24 July 2015.
[15] Abu Rumman, Muhammad, "Politics of Sunni Armed Groups in Iraq." Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: Arab Reform Bulletin. Retrieved on July 24, 2011 from http://www.carnegieendowment.org/2008/08/18/politics-of-sunni-armed-grou...
[16] Abu Rumman, Muhammad. "Sunnis in Iraq's Election: An Evolving Balance of Power." Arab Reform Bulletin of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. February 24, 2010. Retrieved on August 5, 2011 from http://www.carnegieendowment.org/2010/02/24/sunnis-and-iraq-s-elections-...
[17] "Jihad Organizations in Iraq Establish New Front," Islamist Websites Monitor No. 95. May 4, 2007. Retrieved on August 5, 2011 from http://www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/2177.htm
[18] "Iraqi Militants Develop New, Enhanced Surface-to-Surface Missile." CBSNews. CBS Interactive. Web. 21 July 2015. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/iraqi-militants-develop-new-enhanced-surfac...
[19] Jane's Terrorism Watch Report - Daily Update, “Ansar al-Sunna release video of alleged attack on US vehicle in Iraq's Diyala”, July 29, 2009. https://janes.ihs.com/Janes/Display/twrd3629-twr-2009
[20] "Chapter 6. Foreign Terrorist Organizations." U.S. Department of State. U.S. Department of State, 31 July 2012. Web. 21 July 2015. https://www.state.gov/j/ct/rls/crt/2016/272238.htm
[21] Gregory, Kathryn. "Ansar Al-Islam (Iraq, Islamists/Kurdish Separatists), Ansar Al-Sunnah." Council on Foreign Relations. November 5, 2008. Accessed March 12, 2019. https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/ansar-al-islam-iraq-islamistskurdish-se....
[22] "Appendix B -Statement of Reasons - Ansar Al-Islam (formerly Ansar Al-Sunna)." Australian House Committee. Accessed March 10, 2019. https://www.aph.gov.au/parliamentary_business/committees/house_of_representatives_committees?url=pjcis/six%20terrorist/report/appendix%20b.pdf"Sunnis in Iraq's Election: An Evolving Balance of Power." Arab Reform Bulletin of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. February 24, 2010. Retrieved on August 5, 2011 from http://www.carnegieendowment.org/2010/02/24/sunnis-and-iraq-s-elections-evolving-balance-of-power/2fp
[23] MacAskill, Ewan. "Sunni Insurgents Form Alliance against US." The Guardian. 11 Oct. 2007. Web. 16 July 2015. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2007/oct/12/usa.iraq
[24] Fishman, Brian H. The Master Plan: ISIS, Al-Qaeda, and the Jihadi Strategy for Final Victory. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2017.
[25] Roggio, Bill. " 50 Killed in al-Qaeda in Iraq Suicide Assault in Tikrit." Threat Matrix: A Blog of the Long War Journal. Retrieved on August 5, 2001 from http://www.longwarjournal.org/threat-matrix/archives/2011/03/53_killed_i...
[26] Rumman, Muhammed Abu. "Sunnis and Iraq's Elections: An Evolving Balance of Power." Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. February 24, 2010. Accessed March 14, 2019. https://carnegieendowment.org/sada/40243.
[27] Abu Rumman, Muhammad, "Politics of Sunni Armed Groups in Iraq." Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: Arab Reform Bulletin. Retrieved on July 24, 2011 from http://www.carnegieendowment.org/2008/08/18/politics-of-sunni-armed-groups-in-iraq/cb6