| Unit Name: | 36th Commando Battalion |
| Country: |  Iraq |
| Type: | Special operations forces |
| Branch: | Iraqi Army/Counter Terrorist Bureau |
| Dates: | 26 December 2003 – present |
| Command Structure: | 1st Special Operations Brigade, Iraqi Counter Terrorist Command |
| Size: | Battalion |
| Current Commander: | Lt. Gen Karim Abboud Muhammad |
| Nickname: |
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| Battles: |
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| Notable Commanders: | Maj. Gen. Fadhil al-Barwari |
The 36th Commando Battalion (36th CDO BN)[1] [2] is one of several Iraqi special operations forces units created after the fall of the Saddam Hussein. Originally part of the Iraqi Special Operations Forces Brigade (ISOF BDE), the unit has a role comparable to that of the United States Army Rangers.[3] The unit is now designated as the 1st Commando Battalion, part of the 1st Special Operations Brigade (ISOF-1).[4] [5]
The unit was formerly known as the 36th Iraqi Civil Defense Corps Battalion.[6]
On 25 November 2003, a decision was made between the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA), the Commander United States Central Command (CDRCENTCOM), the Commander Combined Joint Task Force 7 (CDR CJTF-7), and the Iraqi Governing Council (IGC). These elements agreed to form a Baghdad-based, 500-man battalion by integrating militiamen from five (5) Political Parties: Iraqi National Accord (INA), Iraqi National Congress (INC), Kurdish Democratic Party (KDP), Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), and Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI).[7] The idea was to create a special forces unit that would be composed of Iraqis from various ethnic and religious groups.[8]
In late 2003, the CJSOTF-AP (Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-Arabian Peninsula) made plans to put the 36th CDO BN under the control of the Iraqi Counter Terrorism Force (ICTF).[9] Initial recruits sent to be trained with the 36th CDO BN were given table tennis paddles to publicly hide their activities that they were going for SOF training.[9] Recruits who changed their mind to join the battalion were taken off the roster.[9] The unit changed its name to the 1st Commando Battalion after the Iraqi Special Operations Forces (ISOF) Brigade was created in July 2005.[9] During the war against the Islamic State in 2017, the battalion was known to be militarily and politically reliable as they fought ISIL fighters instead of abandoning their positions[10] unlike other military units like the Iraqi Army's 2nd Division.[11]
36th CDO BN forces were involved in Najaf in August 2004, nearly raiding Sadr's hideout if he did not choose to give up.[9] In November 2004, 36th CDO BN forces were deployed to Fallujah alongside US Marines to flush out anti-government insurgents,[9] [12] taking control of a hospital from insurgents.[13] They were also involved in Samarra, engaged in anti-insurgency operations in September 2004.[9] [14]
The 36th CDO BN was involved in anti-ISIL operations, engaging ISIL fighters in Mosul in 2017.[10]
The 36th CDO BN was organized based on the structure of the US Army Special Forces.[4]
In 2004, the 36th CDO BN had 400 operators, trained by 17 US Special Forces advisors.[15]
As of 2023, the unit is under the command of the Iraqi Counter Terrorism Service.[16]