Counter-Terrorism Group (CTG) is an official institution under the Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq. This organization was initially established in 2002 by the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan with the support of US military and intelligence forces, as a response to the activities and threats posed by terrorist organizations within the administrative boundaries of Sulaymaniyah Governorate. The pr
imary function of this institution is to investigate and respond to both internal and external threats that endanger the security of the Kurdistan Region. It officially holds arrest authority and specializes in investigating and pursuing various types of crimes, including terrorism cases. The proficiency, expertise, and experiences that the CTG have developed have expanded their operational scope beyond the Kurdistan Region. In collaboration with domestic and international allies, their operations now cover the entirety of Iraq and extend beyond Iraqi borders. In 2014, the powerful impact of the CTG became evident when, following the capture of Mosul by the terrorist organization Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and the redirection of the organization's attacks from central and southern Iraq toward the Kurdistan Region. After several forces failed to defend Kurdish areas, abandoning their positions and surrendering to terrorists without resistance, the CTG became the defensive frontline for Kurdistan in general and Erbil, the capital, in particular. Within a short period, they managed to recapture the town of Makhmour and restore security to the capital. Spearheading ground operations and intelligence missions, they successfully breached enemy strongholds, thereby clearing paths for Peshmerga and other ground forces to reclaim ISIS-controlled territories with minimal casualties. After the end of the Islamic Caliphate in Iraq and the recapture of Mosul, the CTG participated alongside coalition forces in Syria to overthrow the Caliphate's final stronghold in the Baghouz area. Currently, the primary mission of the CTG, operating within the framework of the General Directorate of Counter-Terrorism, involves conducting joint operations, apprehending and surrendering remnants and dormant cells of terrorists in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq.
