ANSAR ALSUNNA

Ansar al-Sunna, or the Supporters of the Sunna (faith), is a militant salafi successor group toAnsar al-Islam. Into 2010, it has been fighting against theUnited States-led occupation ofIraqand its current government. Based in northern and central Iraq, the group includes Kurdish, Arab Sunni, and foreign fighters. Abu Abdullah al-Hassan bin Mahmoud is apparently the group's leader. Thayer Kadhim Abid Salman al-Surawi, one of its commanders, was captured in December 2008 and confessed to numerous suicide bombings and executions from 2006 to 2008.

Since its formation,Ansar al-Sunnahas carried out numerous high-profile attacks, including the suicide bombing in December 2004 of a U.S. army dining tent that killed 18 U.S. soldiers. Earlier that year, the group also killedSami Abdul Rahmanin another suicide bombing that occurred inIrbil, the capital of theKurdistan Regional Government. The group is thought to have links with otherIslamic extremistorganizations operating in the Sunni triangle of Iraq. However, a letter found by U.S. forces in 2007 revealed violent conflict betweenAnsarand al-Qaida over tactics regarding attacks on Iraqi Shiite civilians.