Iraq – Page 5 – Silah Report

Airsoft Accessorized to the Max!

October 2, 2017April 24, 2017 by Miles

This photograph has been on the internet for awhile and appears to be depicting an Iraqi with an odd M249 SAW drum mounted around the STANAG magazine of his Airsoft M4 carbine. We doubt that this is a functioning 200 linked belt inside the drum that is being fed into the rifle and is most likely glued or taped to the magazine that is actually inserted.

From the appearance of the soldier, it doesn’t look like a combatant, possibly not even an enlisted soldier in the Iraqi Army. Rather this might be an enthusiast that is “dressing up” the part. Although his equipment bears some resemblance to gear issued within the Iraqi Army, he is overloaded with equipment that isn’t standard issue. The rifle itself appears to be a U.S. civilian legal 16.5 inch barrel AR15 with a permanently attached carrying handle, he has what looks like Kalashnikov magazines in his pouches, his visor and helmet don’t look to be ballistically rated at all, and it looks like he has mounted a Kalashnikov bayonet over his right shoulder as well. Essentially, nothing matches!

UPDATE

Due to an ever watchful reader, we were able to identify several of the products pictured. The rifle is indeed an airsoft product, with an AEG magazine and an AWT Armor Warrior Tactical G4 Protection Helmet. Much thanks to Irfan!

How Ruger P95s and Sig P2022s Got to Iraq

October 2, 2017April 21, 2017 by Miles

For a while now we’ve seen a number of Ruger 9x19mm NATO P95 handguns flourishing among the social media groups within Iraq. This isn’t a recent phenomena but still, the question remains over where they originated from. Daniel Watters, a noted small arms historian has provided us with some excellent context on the issue, even detailing the specific contracts that pushed 5,000 Ruger P95s, and 5,000 Sig Sauer SP2022s into Iraq.

Back in December 2004, the US Army’s Tank-Automotive & Armament Command (TACOM) posted solicitation W52H09-05-R-0067. They basically wanted 10,000 9x19mm pistols in a hurry, and were willing to place multiple contracts to fill it. Vendors were allowed to bid for as few as 100 pistols up to the full total of 10,000. The most telling portion of the solicitation was that they requested a price for the pistols to be shipped directly to Baghdad.

Before the end of the month. Ruger received contract W52H09-05-C-0058 for 5,000 P95, and SIG-Sauer received contract W52H09-05-C-0059 for 5,000 SP2022.

When outsiders saw the name Tank-Automotive & Armament Command, they assumed the pistols must be for tankers. Nothing could be further from the truth. A subordinate command of the Army Materiel Command, TACOM-Rock Island was responsible for all Army small arms procurement. It also handled orders from other US military service branches, and managed foreign military sales (FMS).
It turns out that the rush order was meant to arm Iraqi security forces ahead of the country’s first post-Saddam parliamentary elections in January 2005. Confirmation can be found in the government report “Iraqi Security Forces: Weapons Provided by the U.S. Department of Defense Using the Iraq Relief and Reconstruction Fund.

The report listed can be accessed here and lists the 5,000 P95s as being purchased for $1,271,700, and the 5,000 SP2022s being purchased for $1,756,550, both on December 12 2004. Both of these appeared to have been designated for the Ministery of Interior and the Ministery of Defense although it doesn’t specify which. We should also note that these 10,000 handguns were only a third of the 38,053 “Generic 9mm Pistols” that were on contract. What those other thirty-something thousand odd handguns were would have to take some researching.

Although very similar in appearance to a Sig Sauer handgun, our sources tell us that this is in fact a blank firing copy.

SUSAT On Peshmerga M2

October 2, 2017April 18, 2017 by Miles

A photograph has recently come out showing a Peshmerga fighter with what appears to be a SUSAT mounted on his M2 .50 BMG Heavy Machine Gun. The mount that the machine gun is cradled in also appears to be a of British design, formerly seen in use on British armored vehicles. SR’s suspicion is that the entire contraption is supplied by British forces to the Peshmerga as defensive material. However, it would also appear that the SUSAT isn’t calibrated to the trajectory of the .50 BMG cartridge, nor is it very well suited for a heavy machine gun in the first place, being designed for a 5.56x45mm rifle.

Arabic Guides to Kalashnikov and Ammunition Nomenclature

October 2, 2017April 9, 2017 by Miles

Much like in the United States Kalashnikov collector or enthusiast market, Iraqi Kalashnikov owners understand the differences in quality between AKs from different countries. The European ones take precedence over Chinese, and Russian variants when original remain supreme and commandeer a premium when it comes to cost.

These sets of markings are designating the country of origin stamps in addition to examples of serial number blocks.

While still maintaining the country origin markings, this chart explicitly shows the selector markings as well. Understanding and making sure all the markings add up is very important if a seller is to ensure the Kalashnikov he is purchasing is indeed genuine.

In addition to country of origin markings, these are guides in Arabic to ammunition markings and nomenclature. With the Iraqi flag imprinted in the graphics, the photographs appear to have been edited and translated by an Iraqi enthusiast.

“Major League Infidel” Comes Full Circle In Iraq

October 2, 2017March 16, 2017 by Miles

Early in the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan, an emblem lifted from the Major League Baseball symbol was used to demonstrate the feelings of many American Soldiers and Marines deploying in support of OIF and OEF. It depicted a soldier in place of the traditional baseball hitter, against a background of red and blue, with the figure in white. Of course, the colors red, white and blue were synonymous with the American flag. The phrase “Major League Infidel” was attached at the bottom. Infidel, “Kafir”, or کافر is a popular moniker within the U.S. Military because this is the language used in propaganda videos put out by Al Qaeda, Taliban, or current Daesh groups. Soldiers and Marines hear this and take to the term as a sort of endearment as being unliked. Of course, these same Soldiers and Marines don’t realize that the word “Kafir” exists in Arabic versions of the Christian bible as used by Christian Arabs across the MENA region.

Even the extremely popular Crye Precision brand, that makes top quality camouflage clothing and patterns, has this on their website–

We created this trademarked slogan and icon to remind everyone that all “non-believers” in senseless violence are “infidels” and to celebrate the ones who actually do something about it… the Major League Infidels™

The Islamophobic rhetoric notwithstanding, the symbolism has interestingly made its way into Iraq, by way of the Iraqi ISOF forces. This time the logo is depicting the colors of the Iraqi flag; red, white, and black, with the motto found on the flag- الله اکبر, Allah Ak’bar, or translated as “God is Great”. The figure depicted is that of an Iraqi Special Operations Forces soldier with a raised Rock River Arms 14.5″ LAR-15, and Aimpoint CompM4 optic, both standard issue among ISOF forces. It is probable that the creator of this image wasn’t entirely sure of the original intent and meaning of the MLI originating from the States, but regardless he took the image and used it in a very pro-Iraqi context, which is actually anything but what the intention of the symbol was in the beginning. Thus, it has literally come full circle in the meaning, essentially changing it entirely.

In addition, it is cognisant of a much more important dynamic and that is the admiration and imitation of Iraqi and Afghan forces for U.S. forces. Copying everything from the way pouches are being set up on their plate carriers, helicopter safety lines, even attachments on their small arms to include Airsoft M203 imitations trying to replicate the look of real ones.

Below is a gathering of the original form of the meaning, to demonstrate just how clear the original intent was-

This particular logo has actually gone past the political and cultural ramifications and moved into Call of Duty.

Homemade Anti-Materiel Rifle With Iraqi Militia

October 2, 2017March 1, 2017 by Hrachya H

A Polish small arms magazine recently posted this to their social media page. It appears to be of a group of Iraqi militiamen from the Imam Ali Brigade, as is evidenced by the circular yellow patch with a Kalashnikov over an image of a green country profile of Iraq . The bearded militiaman is posing with a huge bolt action anti-materiel rifle. These DIY conversions had been seen multiple times during the Syrian conflict. Supposedly this gun uses either 14,5mm (from KPV or KPVT) or 23 mm (from ZU-23-2) barrel with an improvised receiver, bolt, trigger mechanism, furniture and bipod. You can also see a picatinny rail section mounted on top of the receiver for attaching a scope.

I guess they use the survived barrels from guns with damaged or destroyed mechanisms. Otherwise, it won’t be justified to take the barrel from a functional heavy machine gun or automatic cannon. Although depending on the situation it can be the case, too.

When making the new stock and forearm, the gunsmith definitely tried to make it look like an SVD/Al-Kadesiah.

Note also the other guys’ weapons: an AK, M4 Carbine and an M249 SAW LMG.

The Shi’a Imam Ali Brigade (Cited Source- The Observers)

The Iraqi Shiite militia known as the Imam Ali Brigades is accused of having committed multiple war crimes in the fight against the Islamic State organisation in Iraq, including summary executions and torture of captives. But its brutality isn’t the only thing fuelling the militia’s notoriety – it also has a well-oiled communications strategy.

In June 2014, Shiite leader Ayatollah Sistani made an appeal for mobilisation against the Islamic State organisation. Numerous Iraqi Shiite militias were formed after this announcement.

These new formations joined the four large, already-existing Shiite militias in Iraq: the Badr Brigade, founded in Iran in 1982; Saraya al-Salam (the “Peace Brigades”), which is directed by the radical Shiite religious cleric Moqtada al-Sadr; Asaib Ahl al-Haq (the “League of the Virtuous”); and, lastly, the Iraqi Ketaeb Hezbollah.

The Imam Ali Brigades have distinguished themselves by resorting to extreme violence. The militia, made up of combatants trained in Iran or Lebanon, has faced widening criticism since the release of a YouTube video showing men wearing the Imam Ali Brigades insignia burning a man.

Iraq Spotlight: STG44 & MP40 Pair

February 20, 2017 by Miles

Recently coming out of Baghdad are these images of a very well worn down German STG44 and what comparatively appears to be a less used 9x19mm MP40 submachine gun. There were not any close up photographs of the internals of the small arms so it is hard to ascertain what year in WWII either was made in.

STG44s have been reported in abundance in neighboring Syria, often arming Daesh troops in Raqqa. There is even an inside report on these rifles by a source in Syria from TFB. The largest issue with them is that 7.62x33mm Kurz is extremely hard to come by, although the rifles themselves are very plentiful and in like new condition.

Notice on the MP40 the grip sleeve. These are used on a number of handguns in Iraq and is actually an Airsoft import from China. They come in a number of colors, from green to tan, to black.

AR70s in Iraq

February 17, 2017 by Miles

Images gained from Iraqi social media groups have indicated the transfer and usage of 5.56x45mm NATO Beretta AR70s. Specifically there has been one rifle spotted with the Shi’a Al-Abbas Brigade. The Al-Abbas Brigade was originally formed in Syria in 2012 but after heavy losses with Daesh moved to Iraq in 2014.

Some of these AR70s appear to have been modified with Airsoft picatinny rail handgun systems to provide a picatinny interface. The Italian rifle never received an upgrade to a picatinny system having been replaced by Beretta’s ARX-160 instead. The rail in the title photograph looks to be a very common AR Airsoft rail coming out of China with the oval vents, very similar to many handguards from UTG. However the example below might be one of the Daniel Defense fakes with the 12 o’clock gas tube vents actually installed at the 6 o’clock position. Both examples show an M16A4 handguard mounted to a rail section that covers the top portion of the rifle, leading S.R. to believe that they might originate from the same source or small arms market.