It was created by Amin al-Husseini and Rashid Ali when they suggested the formation of an army of Arab volunteers, which was adopted by Adolf Hitler in 1941. The unit was based on a smaller force, by the commanding of Hellmuth Felmy, mainly to assist the Pro-Nazi revolt in Iraq which was Suppressed by the British. The unit was first settled in Syria and included several Iraqi expatriates, and Syrian Arabs. After the conquest of Syria by the British and Free-French forces, the unit was moved to Sounion in Greece, there it received more Arab and Muslim troops that was on the soil of Europe at the time, as prisoners of war, or as volunteers.