It dissolved under ISIS pressure during the Northern Iraq offensive (June 2014) and was not reformed.

The 12th Division was originally activated in the 1970s or 1980s, and probably disbanded after 1991 (it was not listed in a Jane's Intelligence Review survey of September 1997).

U.S. Army analysts believed the two divisions retained an average "combat effectiveness percentage" of 59%.

Its home base was planned to be at Tikrit and take into account the province of Salah ad-Din Governorate.

The division dissolved under pressure during the North Iraq offensive (June 2014) and was not reformed.