Special Republican Guard

Special Republican Guard
Republican Guard Forces Command insignia
Active	1992–2003
Country	Iraq
Allegiance	Iraqi Special Security Organization
Branch	Special forces
Type	Praetorian Guard
Size	12,000 (2003)
Garrison/HQ	Baghdad
Engagements	2003 invasion of Iraq

The Iraqi Special Republican Guard (SRG) (Arabic: الحرس الجمهوري الخاص‎‎ ""Ḥaris al-‘Irāq al-Jamhūriyy al-Khas"), also known as the Special Forces Brigade of the Presidential Palace,Republican Guard Special Protection Forces, or the Golden Division, was an Iraqi personal security force founded in either early 1992 or March 1995 in Iraq. The Special Republican Guard was controlled by the Special Security Organization and charged with protecting President Saddam Hussein, presidential sites, Baghdad, and responding to any rebellion, coup, or other threat to his power.

In order to prevent a coup, Saddam Hussein forbade the Special Republican Guard (SRG) from coordinating with other forces, even the Republican Guard and no other units were ever allowed near SRG.

The Special Republican Guard received better pay and benefits than members of the Republican Guard and regular Iraqi Army. In 2002 there were reportedly 12,000 members of the Special Republican Guard, drawn primarily from clans loyal to Saddam Hussein and his regime. As many as five brigades containing 14 battalions of 1,300-1,500 men each, and also included air defense, armored, and artillery were reported to be in existence at that time. The Special Republican Guard was officially dissolved on May 23, 2003 per CPA Order Number 2 in the wake of the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

Former members of the Special Republican Guard were suspected of carrying out insurgent attacks on coalition forces in Iraq, but also seemed to form the cadre around which the various Sons of Iraq or Anbar Awakening home guard militias, funded, trained, equipped and operated alongside American forces were composed of.