A Kurdish al-Qaida? Making Sense of the Ansar al-Islam Movement in Iraqi Kurdistan in the Early 2000s

Initially construed as the vital link between Saddam Husayn’s Iraq and al-Qaida in runup to war, Ansar al-Islam (AI) group formed Iraqi Kurdistan December 2001 has been subject of intense debate huge media coverage. In academic research, however, its history, evolution affiliation have received surprisingly little scrutiny. Commonly depicted an affiliated or a sub-group controlled by al-Qaida’s emerging organization (AQI), AI should—this article argues—instead be understood strong independent-minded with ideology operational pattern distinct from that AQI. Although sharing many commonalities, AQI became de facto rivals, not allies. Contrary accepted wisdom, first successor remained Salafi-jihadi insurgent largely focused on fighting ‘the near enemy’, i.e., Kurdish authorities. It strongly resisted repeated calls for joining new umbrella Iraq, Islamic State (ISI) 2006, it paid no homage AQI’s ISI’s leaders. Also international level, groups were fundamentally different. As opposed terrorist plotting abroad, AI’s network hierarchical structures, geared towards raising logistical financial support well recruitment. The highlights need greater attention complexities nuances patterns contacts cooperation militant Islamist extremists. Informed growing scholarship multifaceted nature contemporary jihadism, numerous manifestations local settings, internal rifts, this paper seeks redress early reductionist portrayal movement.