Inside an Elite Iraqi Special Ops Unit: Hunting ISIS
In the brutal urban warfare that defined the battle to liberate Mosul from ISIS control, one Iraqi force stood out as the tip of the spear: the elite Counter Terrorism Service (CTS), widely known as the Golden Division. A 2017 FRONTLINE documentary titled Hunting ISIS (often subtitled “Inside an Elite Iraqi Special Ops Unit”) provided an unprecedented, embedded look into their operations during the intense 2016–2017 campaign.
Directed by Olivier Sarbil, who spent six weeks embedded with the 1st Battalion of the Golden Division, the film captures the raw reality of house-to-house clearing in a city where ISIS fighters blended among terrified civilians. The Golden Division, trained for high-intensity urban combat and supported by U.S. forces, was frequently tasked with the most dangerous assaults—pushing deep into enemy-held neighborhoods to kill or capture ISIS operatives hiding in homes, schools, and crowded streets.
The documentary highlights the unit’s professionalism and multi-ethnic composition in a country often divided along sectarian lines. Unlike some other Iraqi security forces accused of abuses, the Golden Division earned a reputation for discipline and effectiveness. Operators used drones for reconnaissance, navigated booby-trapped buildings, and faced constant threats from car bombs, snipers, and suicide attackers. The film shows the high human cost: heavy casualties among the soldiers, the fear gripping civilians caught in the crossfire, and the grim discoveries of ISIS tactics designed to exploit populated areas.
At the heart of the narrative are the soldiers themselves—men like Lieutenant Colonel Madar, who commanded around 125 troops and had survived multiple ISIS assaults. Their missions involved close-quarters firefights, detaining suspects, and balancing the need to eliminate threats with minimizing harm to non-combatants. The Golden Division played a pivotal role in the broader offensive that eventually liberated Mosul in July 2017, after nine grueling months of fighting.
Broadcast on January 31, 2017, as part of a two-part FRONTLINE episode (paired with “Battle for Iraq”), Hunting ISIS remains a stark testament to the challenges of counterterrorism in densely populated urban environments. It underscores how Iraq’s elite special operations forces became one of the most reliable partners in the U.S.-led coalition’s effort to dismantle the so-called Islamic State’s territorial caliphate.
Even after the fall of Mosul and the territorial defeat of ISIS in 2017, units like the Golden Division have continued targeted raids against lingering sleeper cells, financiers, and leaders. The documentary offers not just a snapshot of a key battle but a deeper insight into the resilience and sacrifices of those on the front lines of one of the 21st century’s most ferocious conflicts.
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