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| Iraqi Popular Army | |
|---|---|
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| Active | 1970–1991 |
| Disbanded | April 29, 1991[1][2] |
| Country | Iraq |
| Type | Paramilitary Gendarmerie Reserve army Auxiliary force |
| Role | First Line of Defence (1980–88) Reserve army Internal security Light infantry |
| Size | Peaked at over 2,500,000 in 1987[2] |
| Garrison/HQ | Baqubah Basra Tikrit |
| Nickname(s) | Jaish al-Sha'abi (People's Army) |
| Patron | Saddam Hussein Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri |
| Equipment | Small arms, infantry fighting vehicles, light artillery, MANPADS |
| Engagements | |
| Commanders | |
| Last commander | Taha Yassin Ramadan |
| Insignia | |
| Ba'ath party flag | &sq=Envato&lang=en&file=File:Flag_of_the_Ba%27ath_Party.svg) |
The Iraqi Popular Army, also known as the People's Army or People's Militia (Arabic: الجيش الشعبي Al Jaysh ash Shaabi), was a paramilitary and gendarmerie organization composed of civilian volunteers to protect the Ba'ath regime against internal opposition and serve as a counterbalance against any coup attempt by the regular Iraqi Army.[2]
In 1987, the People's Army, standing at an estimated 650,000, approached the regular armed forces' manpower strength.
- ^ RCC order 118/1991 [1] Archived 2021-04-30 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b c d "People's Army / Popular Army / People's Militia". Globalsecurity.org. 2007. Archived from the original on 2008-04-11. Retrieved 2008-04-24.