Order Code RS22626
March 15, 2007
Iraq: Tribal Structure, Social, and
Political Activities
Hussein D. Hassan
Information Research Specialist
Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Consultancy
Knowledge Services Group
Summary
For centuries the social and political organization of many Iraqi Arabs has centered
on the tribe. Socially, tribes were divided into related sub-tribes, which further divided
into clans, and then into extended families. Seventy-five percent of Iraq’s estimated 26
million people are a member of a tribe. They are more strongly bound by these tribal ties
and a strict honor code than by ethnic background or religion. This report describes the
political orientation of several Iraqi Arab tribes, including the Shammar, Dulaym, and
Jibur tribes. This report will be updated as warranted. For further information on Iraq
and U.S. policy, see CRS Report RL31339, Iraq: Post-Saddam Governance and
Security, by Kenneth Katzman.
Background
Iraq is home to approximately 150 tribes that are composed of about 2,000 smaller
clans, with varying sizes and influence. The largest tribe numbers more than one million
people; the smallest a few thousand.1 Seventy-five percent of the total Iraqi population are
members of a tribe or have kinship to one.2 Scholars believe that, despite the country’s
many political divides, including religion, ethnicity, and region, one of the least
understood is the country’s tribalism. Iraq has thousands of tribal groups to which various
people pledge their loyalty, ranging from extended family clans that may number just
several hundred people to broad confederations of clans that claim the loyalty of a million
or more. Some experts argue that concern for family and clan, factionalism, and intense
individualism — that does not easily tolerate interference from central authority — are
among the legacies of tribalism in Iraq.3
1 Neil MacFarquhar, “Unpredictable force awaits U.S. in Iraq Storied tribes of the Middle East
Devout, armed and nationalistic,” International Herald Tribune, Jan. 7, 2003. p. 2.
2 Ibid.
3 “The historical importance of the tribes of Iraq can scarcely be exaggerated. In 1933, a year
after Iraqi independence, it was estimated that there were 100,000 rifles in tribal hands, and
(continued...)

---

CRS-2

Tribal Origin. Many Arab tribes in Iraq are believed to have migrated from the
Arabian Peninsula, moving north in search of water. Some are from the lands that
constitute present-day Iraq. Others pre-date Mohammed, the prophet of Islam, who lived
in Arabia in the sixth and seventh centuries and was himself a member of the Quraysh
tribe. Irrespective of their shared religion of Islam and a general feeling of “Arabness,”
Iraqi tribes did not have a sense of common identity. The livelihood of the tribes came
from herding animals, trade, raiding, and collecting tribute. Because of such diverse tribal
structures and origins, it is common to see some of the major tribes in Iraq having related
branches in Syria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Kuwait, and other Gulf states as well as
Turkey. Religious divisions were not always clear-cut, and often seemed to be a fusion
between the different groups. Some tribes such as Jiburi and Shammar have both Sunni
and Shiite members.

Tribal Structure. The most basic unit of Iraqi tribal structure is called the Khams
or extended family. Khams consist of all male children who share the same great-great
grandfather. Of all the levels of tribal organization, the Khams remains the most vital.
Once the Khams structure is broken, a tribal society is no longer in place. In a family unit,
before a woman gets married, she is a member of her father’s tribe. If a man’s daughter
marries outside the clan or tribe, he no longer has the benefit of her or her sons, who could
one day increase the clan’s strength. This explains why marriages between first cousins
in traditional tribal society are common.
Other levels of the tribal organization consists of
!
A biet, or “house” is similar to a Khams. It can resemble a single, vast
extended family with hundreds of members. A number of “houses”
form a clan, or fakhdh.
!
A group of clans form an ‘ashira, or tribal organization. For example,
in Falluja, the tribe named for the town (i.e., the al-Fallujiyyin) has 16
clans, according to Iraqi genealogical charts from the 1980s. Tribes
can vary widely in size, ranging from a few thousand to more than a
million members.
!
A group of tribes forms a confederation, or qabila. Saddam Hussein’s
Al-bu Nasir tribe was part of a federation named after his native town,
of Tikrit (al-Tikriti).4
Tribal Confederation. Iraq was under the Ottoman rule until 1918, and the
nomadic tribes formed the majority of Iraq’s population. Some experts argue that the
3 (...continued)
15,000 in the possession of the government. The settled village community with its attachment
to the land — the backbone of social structure throughout most of the Middle East — has been
a missing link in Iraq’s social fabric.” Dr. Phebe Marr, The Modern History of Iraq (Westview
Press, 1985).
4 Council on Foreign Relations, Iraq: “The Role of Tribes, Council on Foreign Relations,” at
[http://www.cfr/publication/7681/iraq/html#12], accessed Feb. 23, 2007.

---

CRS-3
tribal sheikh was at once a political leader, military general, chief educator, and manager
of foreign affairs. These tribes did not follow a sophisticated religious code.
However, because of weak Ottoman rule throughout the country, Iraq’s loose tribal
confederations prevailed, with each tribe acting as a sort of mobile mini-state.
Furthermore, in the absence of a strong central authority, the tribal framework fulfilled
the primary functions of conflict and resource management. Some of the most important
tribal confederations in Iraq include the Shammar, Dulaym, Jiburi, Albu Nasir, Anizah,
Zubayd, and Ubayd.
Around the mid-19th century, the Ottoman Empire increased its control over Iraqi
tribes through settlement policies and land reform measures.5 The result was an erosion
of the sheiks’ traditional source of power and a disintegration of the traditional tribal
system. Following World War I and the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, the British
decided to unite the three Ottoman provinces of Baghdad, Mosul, and Basra into one
nation-state called Iraq (a name borrowed from the medieval history of the region),
despite the significant religious, linguistic, ethnic, and tribal divisions running through
Iraqi society. Britain took over in 1918 and restored power to the tribal sheiks, thereby
helping to preserve and reinforce Iraq’s tribal structure. At the same time, the British
colonial state gradually appropriated former tribal functions like control of land, water
distribution, and law enforcement. Nomadic tribes settled in village communities based
on extended families or sub-clans. These communities often retained their tribal names,
but they were linked to the agricultural market, rather than to the subsistence economy.
Tribes continued to lose power under the modernizing monarchy and later under the
republican regime.
Tribal Role During the Ba’ath Period. Initially, when the Ba’ath Party came
to power in 1968 with Saddam Hussein as the second highest leader of the regime, the
party viewed the tribal role as outdated and even banned the use of tribal names.6 The
regime enacted and began to implement agrarian reform measures. At the same time,
massive migration from rural areas to major cities further diminished the remaining tribal
units and ties. That, however, changed in the 1980s when Saddam’s regime needed
soldiers to fight Iran. The tribes were tapped to contribute manpower to fight Iran.
Saddam also rewarded the villages of loyal tribesmen by providing roads, electricity, and
water systems. He delegated more power and autonomy to tribes after the Gulf War in
1991when he lost control of large sections of the country. He reached out to tribal leaders,
allocating specific sectors of the country for them to supervise in exchange for more
autonomy over tribal affairs. For instance, Sheikh Talal, who was one of the strongest
5 Global Security, Military: “Tribal Structures” at [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/
world/iraq/tribes.htm], accessed Mar. 13, 2007.
6 Neil MacFarquhar, “Unpredictable force awaits U.S. in Iraq Storied tribes of the Middle East
Devout, armed and nationalistic,” International Herald Tribune, Jan. 7, 2003, p. 2.

---

CRS-4
tribal leaders and claims to have about 100,000 armed men all over Iraq, was allotted a
116-kilometer (72-mile) section of highway in southern Iraq to protect at night.7
Major Tribes and U.S. Authorities. As the Ottoman Turks and the British who
ruled Iraq did in the past, U.S. authorities continue to seek the cooperation of the tribes
with varying degrees of success. For instance, in 2004, Iraq persuaded the U.S. authorities
to accept the appointment of Sheik Ghazi Ajil al-Yawar, nephew of the paramount chief
of the extensive Shammar tribe, as the country’s interim president. The interim Iraqi
Governing Council (IGC) named Yawar, as the country’s first president of the
post-Saddam Hussein era. The UN special envoy Ibrahim Brahimi, later confirmed his
appointment.
Cooperation between some Sunni tribal leaders, U.S. forces, and the Iraqi
government seems to be growing. For instance, in Anbar province, Sunni Arab sheiks,
angry over al-Qaida attacks in the insurgent stronghold in this restive province, are urging
their tribesmen to join the local police forces. In reference to the restive Anbar province,
President Bush in his State of the Union Address on January 23, 2007, spoke about the
local Iraqi forces that have begun to show a willingness to fight the insurgents.
Reportedly, residents in parts of Anbar say the split in the Sunni insurgency is
widening, with moderate tribal leaders and nationalist guerrillas pitted against
fundamentalist fighters and rival tribes. Furthermore, a coalition led by Sheik Abdul
Sattar, the Anbar Salvation Council (ASC), a group of 25 tribes that the sheik pulled
together to fight al-Qaeda, is emerging as central to U.S. strategy in Anbar. The sheik said
he and his allies, who also call themselves the Anbar Awakening, have recruited 6,000
fighters from the tribes into the Anbar police, helped appoint a new provincial police
chief, and formed a 2,500-member “emergency brigade” answering to him. Sheik Abdul
Sattar said his tribe, the Rishawi, which accounts for a tenth of the 400,000 residents of
Ramadi, has always tried to make peace with the U.S. forces in Anbar.8 He indicated that
it was one of the reasons why his father was killed.
Below are some of the major confederation and tribal groups followed by a map
(Figure 1) with the location of these tribes and others in Iraq.9
Shammar
The Shammar claim to be Iraq’s biggest tribal confederation, with more
than 1.5 million people. Like other big confederations, it has tended to be
unified only when threatened from the outside, as in wartime. Shammar
member tribes include the Toqa (historically settled in central Iraq) and the
Jarba (centered in the north). Shammar tribes cover vast territories, from
south of Baghdad to the Syrian border in the northwest. They include
7 Neil MacFarquhar, “Tribes pose wild card if U.S. fights Saddam; America feeling out Iraq’s
powerful clans,” The New York Times, Jan. 5, 200, p.A1.
8 Edward Wong, “An Iraqi Tribal Chief Opposes the Jihadists, and Prays,” New York Times, Mar.
3, 2007.
9 Mohamad Bazzi, “On Their Terms U.S. soldier reaches out to understand Iraqi Tribal System,”
Newsday, Dec. 21, 2003. Arab Tribes of the Baghdad Wilayat, issued by the Arab Bureau,
Baghdad, July 1918.

---

CRS-5
Sunni and Shia groups and their reach extends from Yemen to the United
Arab Emirates.
Dulaym
The Dulaym belong to a large group of tribes of Zubaydi origin and are
connected the Jannabiyin, Ubayd, and other confederations. They claim to
have originally migrated from Central Arabia. (Arab Tribes if the Baghdad
Wilayat, issued by the Arab Bureau, Baghdad, July 1918.) Many
prominent Iraqis carry the last name “Dulaym,” signaling they belong to
this broad tribal confederation. Many Dulaymi tribes and leaders were
among the most important in supporting Hussein during his rule. Dulaym
tribes reside mostly in the western province of al-Anbar, around Ramadi.
The Dulaym reportedly orchestrated a failed coup attempt against Saddam
Hussein in July 1992.
Jibur
The Jibur are one of the largest tribes and are scattered along the rivers as
far north as Mosul and Khabur. (Arab Tribes if the Baghdad Wilayat,
issued by the Arab Bureau, Baghdad, July 1918.) They claim to have come
from Khabur. The Jiburi tribe includes both Sunni and Shia branches.
Their relationship with the late Saddam Hussein was more complex. In the
1980s, Hussein gave money and powerful jobs to Jiburi tribal leaders, and
in exchange, they recruited thousands of men from their tribe to fight
against with Iran. But the relationship fell apart after a group of prominent
Jiburis reportedly plotted to assassinate Hussein in 1990. He purged the
tribe’s leaders, and Jiburi leaders now cooperate with U.S. forces, notably
in helping rule the northern city of Mosul.
Tikriti-al
The late General Ahmad Hassan Al-Bakr, former president of the republic,
former commander-in-chief of the armed forces, command member of the
Ba’ath party from 1973-1977, and Saddam Hussein came from a section
of the Albu Nasir Tribe, the group of tribes usually called al-Takarita (or
the Tikritis.) The Albu Nasir tribe is believed to have more than 350,000
young men.In July 2003, Abdullah Mahmoud al-Khattab, leader of
Saddam’s section of the tribe, was gunned down in Tikrit, a few weeks
after he publicly disavowed Saddam.
Khaza’il-al
The al-Khaza’il are an important family from Najd. A considerable number
of them are known to have been nomadic. The Khaza’il proper, apart from
tribes of different origin who may still be reckoned in the confederation,
are all of one family and named after their respective ancestors in the
sheikhly house. Khaza’il tribe can be found in Baghdad area.The Khaza’il
are divided into Al Shallal and the Al Salaman.
Anizah
The Anizah confederation is numerically believed to be the largest group
of nomad Arab tribes. They occupied a triangle of Syrian desert, near
today’s Iraq-Syria border, to the east bank of the Euphrates. The hereditary
foes of the Anizah are believed to be the Shammar. According to published
reports, the history of nomadic Arabia has been dominated for the last 150
years by the rivalry between the Anizah and Shammar.
Hushaim-
The Banu Hushaim are one of the tribal confederations on the Euphrates.
They are mostly of Shammar origin and are believed to have settled in Iraq
for a long time. Historically, the Banu Hushaim were small independent

---

CRS-6
tribes not connected to one another but formed for many generations a
single political unit.
Aqrah, al
This is a group of tribes of Shammar origin. They are known to have been
independent and acknowledge no paramount chief but form a loose
confederation. The Aqrah group consisted of both cultivators and sheep
breeders. The al-Agrah group lies a long the Shatt al Dagharah to about a
few miles from Shatt al Hillah.
Zubaydi
The Al-Zubayd are believed to have migrated from Yemen. They came
from the south probably in the late seventh century, and like all early
migrants are very scattered. They have a wide kinship. The Dulaymi, Jibur,
and Ubayd albu Amir are of the Zubaydi stock.
Ubayd
This Sunni Arab tribe migrated into Iraq in the 6th century A.D. and settled
on the river bank of the Tigris, between Mosul and Baghdad.
Figure 1. Tribes and Major Confederations in Iraq

---