Operation Viking Hammer
Encyclopedia
Operation Viking Hammer was a military operation of the Iraq War which took place in northern Iraq
. The goal of the operation was to eliminate the Ansar al-Islam
terrorist organization which was occupying part of Iraqi Kurdistan.
was an Islamist terrorist organization which had first appeared in northern Iraq in December 2001. The group was made up of a combination of Kurdish recruits and Arab veterans of the war in Afghanistan. From 2001 to 2003, they fought against Kurdish forces in northern Iraq, carving out an enclave around the town of Halabja
which they placed under their control. The CIA also suspected Ansar al-Islam
of manufacturing chemical weapons and the poison Ricin
in a factory in the town of Sargat.
In addition, at least two other militant Kurdish Islamic groups 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 American Special Forces soldiers, airborne units parachuted into northern Iraq, and Kurdish Peshmerga
forces of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan
and Kurdish Democratic Party. Before beginning the attack south, 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.
fighters held a series of mountaintop positions which offered their men a commanding view of the surrounding areas, but also left them vulnerable to air strikes. Cruise missile strikes against Ansar al-Islam positions were launched on March 21. The Americans originally planned to launch a ground attack immediately following the air strikes, 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 Kurdish forces, with each force accompanied by U.S. Special Forces.
On the eve of the battle, the Islamic Group of Kurdistan, which had been allied with Ansar al-Islam
, surrendered after having suffered 100 men killed in the March 21 strikes.
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 Kurds pursued them and captured the town of Gulp hours ahead of schedule. The majority of the Ansar fighters retreated to the town of Sargat. Advancing on Sargat, the Kurds and Americans were pinned down for three hours by mortar and machine gun fire. 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 .50 caliber sniper rifle to take out Ansar al-Islam
machine gun crews while the Kurds 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 Kurdish forces were again pinned down by machine gun fire and had to call in more air strikes before darkness put an end to the day's fighting.
The next day, the Americans and Kurds 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 many Ansar al-Islam fighters were in fact harbored by Iran.
'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
in the ruins, as well as potassium chloride
. They also discovered chemical weapons suits, atropine
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.
Three U.S. Army Special Forces soldiers were awarded the Silver Star for their actions around Sargat.
Ansar al-Islam
would later re-emerge as a group involved in the Iraqi insurgency
.
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. The goal of the operation was to eliminate the Ansar al-Islam
Ansar al-Islam
Ansar al-Islam is a Sunni Islamist group of Iraqis, promoting a radical interpretation of Islam, close to the official Saudi ideology of Wahhabism with strict application of Sharia. The group was formed in the northern provinces of Iraq near the Iranian border, and previously had established...
terrorist organization which was occupying part of Iraqi Kurdistan.
Background
Ansar al-IslamAnsar al-Islam
Ansar al-Islam is a Sunni Islamist group of Iraqis, promoting a radical interpretation of Islam, close to the official Saudi ideology of Wahhabism with strict application of Sharia. The group was formed in the northern provinces of Iraq near the Iranian border, and previously had established...
was an Islamist terrorist organization which had first appeared in northern Iraq in December 2001. The group was made up of a combination of Kurdish recruits and Arab veterans of the war in Afghanistan. From 2001 to 2003, they fought against Kurdish forces in northern Iraq, carving out an enclave around the town of Halabja
Halabja
Halabja , is a Kurdish town in Northern Iraq, located about north-east of Baghdad and 8–10 miles from the Iranian border....
which they placed under their control. The CIA also suspected Ansar al-Islam
Ansar al-Islam
Ansar al-Islam is a Sunni Islamist group of Iraqis, promoting a radical interpretation of Islam, close to the official Saudi ideology of Wahhabism with strict application of Sharia. The group was formed in the northern provinces of Iraq near the Iranian border, and previously had established...
of manufacturing chemical weapons and the poison Ricin
Ricin
Ricin , from the castor oil plant Ricinus communis, is a highly toxic, naturally occurring protein. A dose as small as a few grains of salt can kill an adult. The LD50 of ricin is around 22 micrograms per kilogram Ricin , from the castor oil plant Ricinus communis, is a highly toxic, naturally...
in a factory in the town of Sargat.
In addition, at least two other militant Kurdish Islamic groups 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 American Special Forces soldiers, airborne units parachuted into northern Iraq, and Kurdish Peshmerga
Peshmerga
Peshmerga or Peshmerge is the term used by Kurds to refer to armed Kurdish fighters. Literally meaning "those who face death" the Peshmerga forces of Kurdistan have been in existence since the advent of the Kurdish independence movement in the early 1920s, following the collapse of the Ottoman...
forces of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan
Patriotic Union of Kurdistan
The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan is a Kurdish political party in Iraqi Kurdistan. The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan was founded on June 1, 1975, by coordinations between Jalal Talabani and Nawshirwan Mustafa...
and Kurdish Democratic Party. Before beginning the attack south, Coalition forces first needed to destroy Ansar al-Islam
Ansar al-Islam
Ansar al-Islam is a Sunni Islamist group of Iraqis, promoting a radical interpretation of Islam, close to the official Saudi ideology of Wahhabism with strict application of Sharia. The group was formed in the northern provinces of Iraq near the Iranian border, and previously had established...
's enclave in order to secure the Kurdish rear areas and free Kurdish forces to take part in the advance southwards.
Battle
Ansar al-IslamAnsar al-Islam
Ansar al-Islam is a Sunni Islamist group of Iraqis, promoting a radical interpretation of Islam, close to the official Saudi ideology of Wahhabism with strict application of Sharia. The group was formed in the northern provinces of Iraq near the Iranian border, and previously had established...
fighters held a series of mountaintop positions which offered their men a commanding view of the surrounding areas, but also left them vulnerable to air strikes. Cruise missile strikes against Ansar al-Islam positions were launched on March 21. The Americans originally planned to launch a ground attack immediately following the air strikes, 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 Kurdish forces, with each force accompanied by U.S. Special Forces.
On the eve of the battle, the Islamic Group of Kurdistan, which had been allied with Ansar al-Islam
Ansar al-Islam
Ansar al-Islam is a Sunni Islamist group of Iraqis, promoting a radical interpretation of Islam, close to the official Saudi ideology of Wahhabism with strict application of Sharia. The group was formed in the northern provinces of Iraq near the Iranian border, and previously had established...
, surrendered after having suffered 100 men killed in the March 21 strikes.
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 Kurds pursued them and captured the town of Gulp hours ahead of schedule. The majority of the Ansar fighters retreated to the town of Sargat. Advancing on Sargat, the Kurds and Americans were pinned down for three hours by mortar and machine gun fire. 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 .50 caliber sniper rifle to take out Ansar al-Islam
Ansar al-Islam
Ansar al-Islam is a Sunni Islamist group of Iraqis, promoting a radical interpretation of Islam, close to the official Saudi ideology of Wahhabism with strict application of Sharia. The group was formed in the northern provinces of Iraq near the Iranian border, and previously had established...
machine gun crews while the Kurds brought up artillery. The combination of artillery support and accurate long-range sniper fire drove the Ansar al-Islam
Ansar al-Islam
Ansar al-Islam is a Sunni Islamist group of Iraqis, promoting a radical interpretation of Islam, close to the official Saudi ideology of Wahhabism with strict application of Sharia. The group was formed in the northern provinces of Iraq near the Iranian border, and previously had established...
forces from the town. Pursuing Ansar fighters into the hills, American and Kurdish forces were again pinned down by machine gun fire and had to call in more air strikes before darkness put an end to the day's fighting.
The next day, the Americans and Kurds 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 many Ansar al-Islam fighters were in fact harbored by Iran.
Aftermath
Operation Viking Hammer had eliminated Ansar al-IslamAnsar al-Islam
Ansar al-Islam is a Sunni Islamist group of Iraqis, promoting a radical interpretation of Islam, close to the official Saudi ideology of Wahhabism with strict application of Sharia. The group was formed in the northern provinces of Iraq near the Iranian border, and previously had established...
'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
Ricin , from the castor oil plant Ricinus communis, is a highly toxic, naturally occurring protein. A dose as small as a few grains of salt can kill an adult. The LD50 of ricin is around 22 micrograms per kilogram Ricin , from the castor oil plant Ricinus communis, is a highly toxic, naturally...
in the ruins, as well as potassium chloride
Potassium chloride
The chemical compound potassium chloride is a metal halide salt composed of potassium and chlorine. In its pure state, it is odorless and has a white or colorless vitreous crystal appearance, with a crystal structure that cleaves easily in three directions. Potassium chloride crystals are...
. They also discovered chemical weapons suits, atropine
Atropine
Atropine is a naturally occurring tropane alkaloid extracted from deadly nightshade , Jimson weed , mandrake and other plants of the family Solanaceae. It is a secondary metabolite of these plants and serves as a drug with a wide variety of effects...
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.
Three U.S. Army Special Forces soldiers were awarded the Silver Star for their actions around Sargat.
Ansar al-Islam
Ansar al-Islam
Ansar al-Islam is a Sunni Islamist group of Iraqis, promoting a radical interpretation of Islam, close to the official Saudi ideology of Wahhabism with strict application of Sharia. The group was formed in the northern provinces of Iraq near the Iranian border, and previously had established...
would later re-emerge as a group involved in the Iraqi insurgency
Iraqi insurgency
The Iraqi Resistance is composed of a diverse mix of militias, foreign fighters, all-Iraqi units or mixtures opposing the United States-led multinational force in Iraq and the post-2003 Iraqi government...
.