Sons of Iraq

Sons of Iraq
Sons of Iraq
	Flag of the Iraq Awakening Conference
Leaders	Sheik Abdul Sattar Buzaigh al-Rishawi (assassinated) ; Sheikh Ali Hatem Ali Sulaiman; Sheikh Abdul-Jabbar Abu Risha; Sheikhs of Al-Bu Nimr; Sheiks of Al-Bu Issa; Saad Ghaffoori (a.k.a. Abu Abed); Abu Azzam al Tamimi ; Adel al-Mashhadani (killed in January 2014) ;
Dates of operation	2005–2013
Group(s)	Albu Risha; Al-Jaghayfa; Al-Jabbour; Albu Fahd; Albu Nimr; Albu Isa; Albu Dhiyab; Albu Ali; Albu Fraj;
Active regions	Iraq
Ideology	Islamic democracy; Iraqi nationalism
Size	51,900 (estimated in January 2011); 30,000 (June 6, 2012);
Allies	United States; Iraq; Ba'athist Syria; Iran;
Opponents	Al-Qaeda in Iraq
Battles and wars	Iraq War Iraqi insurgency (2003-2011); Iraqi civil war (2006–2008); ; Iraqi insurgency (2011–2013); 2013 Hawija clashes; War in Iraq (2013–2017);

The Sons of Iraq (Arabic: أبناء العراق Abnāʼ al-ʻIrāq), also known as al-Sahwah (Arabic: الصحوة, lit. 'the awakening'), were a coalition in the Al Anbar province in Iraq between Sunni tribal leaders as well as former Saddam-era Iraqi military officers that united in 2005 to maintain stability in their communities. A moderate group, they were initially sponsored by General Petraeus and the US military.

After arriving into power, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki relied on sectarian policies to consolidate his power. Maliki denounced the Sons of Iraq as a national threat, actively dismantling them and refusing to integrate them into Iraqi security services. Sunnis formerly serving with the group were faced with options including becoming unemployed or joining the Islamic State. This turn of events is considered a key factor that contributed to the failure of Iraq to stabilize, ultimately leading to the War in Iraq (2013-17).