Since the fall of Saddam Hussein’s regime in April 2003, a consistent goal of the Iraqi government and the multi-national forces has been to establish a reliable and effective police force to help maintain order and stability within the volatile country.
Although at first perceived to be an unruly and unreliable force, over the years the INP (Iraqi National Police), placed under the Ministry of the Interior and with guidance and training from the multi-national forces, has developed into a highly effective force. And, as the INP has grown in strength throughout the country, dedicated groups within it have been created to address specialized missions.
Of these are the INP’s ERU (Emergency Response Units), highly trained forces that provide national-level, high-end, rapid-response LE tactical units responsible for high-risk searches, operations and arrests. To fulfill this role, members of the ERU are schooled in disciplines such as personal security detachment training, quick reaction force training as it pertains to the duties of the INP, response to IED attacks, snipers, large-crowd control, room clearing and searches, etc.
ERU Weapons Upgrade
As is to be expected in a Middle-Eastern nation, the humble yet effective Kalashnikov rifle is the standard in Iraq with numerous variants from a variety of former Soviet bloc nations and even a locally made variant being in use throughout the country. Both the police and military of the country generally employ some variant of the Kalashnikov design
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