SUMMARY

In the context of the Iraqi conflict ISI (Islamic State in Iraq) had developed to become an umbrella organization for the insurgency. The 1920 Revolutionary Brigades were against the killing of civilians, which was a common tactic of ISI, and parts of the organization were also engaged in far more political activities than what was appreciated by the ISI. The 1920 Revolutionary Brigades refused to pledge allegiance to ISI and thus the two groups found themselves on a collision course.

In February 2001 one of the leaders of 1920 Revolutionary Brigades was captured and killed by ISI. Apart from 1920 Revolutionary Brigades’ refusal to align itself with ISI they were targeted also due to their tacit backing of RJF (Reform and Jihad Front). The violence between the groups has mostly been performed by ISI which took a 1920 Revolutionary Brigades leader hostage and later killed him and his companions. Later ISI has also committed a suicide attack targeting 1920 Revolutionary Brigades members.

When 1920 Revolutionary Brigades split into two organizations, one retaining the original name and the other taking the name of Hamas Iraq, it was those that joined the latter group that had been mainly against ISI while those that stayed were more willing to see cooperation.

The non-state conflict between 1920 Revolutionary Brigades and ISI is first included in UCDP data in 2007. In December of that year a suicide attack against 1920 Revolutionary Brigade members brought the total death toll in the conflict to 25 battle-related deaths.