ISIS Houthi Somali Al Shabab Insurgent AK-47 Desert Tan Chestrig Magazine Pouch

Initially, when ISIS fighters numbered only a few hundred and used the AK nearly exclusively, they wore mostly Chinese made three cell magazine pouches; Iraqi and Syrian made copies of the Chinese chest pouch with snaps; or locally made derivatives of the Chinese pouch.

However, as time passed, ISIS grew to tens of thousand of fighters. You may recall that the US State Department estimated that ISIS may have had 100,000 fighters. Iraqi officials believed that ISIS had 200,000 fighters.

As black market oil revenues came in and M4 rifles started to be issued widely, stealing, capturing and tailor making small batches of chest rigs became an unsustainable way to equip more than 100,000 fighters with this basic item.

As they greatly expanded their numbers and added M4s, Daesh began to purchase various modern tactical chestrigs. Most of these modern tactical chestrigs worn by ISIS were solid colors, primarily in tan and black polyester or nylon. Various camouflage patterns were also worn but seemingly in smaller number. Many of these had more modern features like MOLLE straps and pouches, velcro closures and chest fields, zipper fronts etc. Some even had hydration bladders and tubes. One Velcro field being worn by an ISIS fighter had an Iraqi flag on it.

We have found news articles regarding retail stores, both in Turkey and occupied Mosul, Iraq, which catered to ISIS fighters. These merchants sold anything a would-be Jihadist would need by way of uniforms, chestrigs, knives, belts, boots, sandals, headscarves, flags, balaclavas etc. However we believe that much of the more commonly seen items, like this chest pouch, was likely purchased through a central purchasing office. We believe there was such a central purchasing in that the Spanish seized 20,000 ISIS uniforms being shipped as used clothing which was in various colors and patterns all cut in ISIS style.

From a review of thousands of photographs, ISIS in Iraq, Syria, Ethiopia and Libya bought a great quantity of this pattern chestpouch. We came to this conclusion after we compared this vest to other vests seen in photos all over ISIS controlled areas.

We have included many photos showing this vest being worn. This one appears to have become about as standard issue as was possible for such a loosely connected army.

This pouch is easy to spot in photographs once you know what to look for. For example, these have a unique semi rounded upper pocket flap with two snaps and unique twin D rings on each shoulder strap. These features can be used to quickly distinguish it from all other ISIS Tactical vests.

This pouch has seven pockets total. It has four magazine pockets for 30 round AK or M4 magazines. Each pocket can hold two mags for a total of eight. Each magazine pocket flap has a small nylon tab at the bottom to aide in opening the pouch and a single snap on the flap. Each magazine pouch has two female snaps so different size magazines can be carried. There is Velcro on each flap and pocket to further secure the magazines in place. 40 round RPK Magazines will fit in the pouch but they do fit well. You can also clearly see the unique semi-rounded chest flap on the upper front pouch above the magazine pockets with its two snaps. Two photos we have posted shows the ISIS Fighter with what looks like a Makarov 9mm pistol stuffed in this pouch. At the sides of each chest rig are two square universal pockets for carrying other equipment or supplies like grenades, extra ammunition, binoculars, a bottle of water field dressings etc. The magazine and universal pockets each have a grommet hole at the bottom.

In these many photos we have seen variances in the color of hardware sewn into the pouch and straps. This one has black snaps, black D rings and, like most, has tan plastic buckles. It does appear that khaki-green plastic hardware may have also be attached to these pouches but it is hard to say for sure based on photos alone. We have included photos of this same pouch with a black and green body as well. These two colors appear to be much less common; with green pouches being the least common. All these variants in manufacture do not surprise us given the fact these were mass produced to quickly fill rush orders.

Again, ISIS fighters also carried captured M4 carbines and wore this pouch as well. We have included photos of this rifle being worn with this pouch.

As we said, this same magazine pouch what not limited to use by ISIS in the Middle East and North Africa. It is also seen in use in sub Saharan Africa in countries like Ethiopia by ISIS.

You might recognize key leaders of Isis wearing this very chest rig. We have included pictures of Abu Mohammed Al-Amani, ISIS’ chief propagandist; Omar The Chechen, plus Brits, Canadians, French, Germans, Dutch, Belgium, Bosnian, Chinese and East Africans all wearing this very same pouch.

There are of course no factory labels or markings to give away its origin.

ISIS IN YEMEN

The last three photos before this vest depict ISIS fighters in Yemen, thousands of miles from Iraq & Syria, wearing this same vest!

SAME POUCH USED BY THE HOUTHIS OF YEMEN

These have also been observed being worn by the Houthi rebels of Yemen. See the photographs following the image of the pouch. Each one depicts a Houthi fighter wearing this pouch.

Interestingly, the Houthis do not universally wear chest rigs on their chests. Many wear the chest pouch, including this type, on their side.  One of the photos, the fourth one, shows this type of pouch being worn on the fighters left side.

We have also observed that many Houthi Insurgents, like ISIS, wear Chinese made chest rigs with wooden toggle buttons, mostly green or two tone. A few wear Iranian supplied magazine vests that open in the front. However, the photos here clearly show that many wear the very same chest rig which ISIS wore.

SAME POUCH BEING WORN BY ISIS SOMALIA & AL SHABAB 

These chest rigs have also appeared in Somalia being worn by ISIS & Al Shibab as you can see in the last posted photos. 

From what we have learned, both Yemen & Iran have been supplying arms to insurgents in Somalia. 

Some photos we have posted show a variant skeletonized plastic buckle being worn alongside the earlier plastic buckle. 

We also see a camouflage pattern variant in Somolia. 

Condition is excellent.