Special Groups (Iraq)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Special Groups
Participant in Iraq War
Active 2007–present
Leaders Muqtada al-Sadr

Qais al-Khazali (P.O.W.)
Akram al Kabi
Abu Mustafa al-Sheibani
Ahmad Sajad al-Gharawi
Abu Deraa
Arkan Hasnawi  †
Haydar al-Majidi
Headquarters Sadr City, Baghdad
Area of
operations		 Baghdad and Southern Iraq
Strength Thousands
Part of Mahdi Army (until 2008)
Iraqi Insurgency
Originated as Mahdi Army
Became Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq
Kata'ib Hezbollah
Promised Day Brigades
Allies Mahdi Army
Opponents  United States and MultinationalForce-IraqDUI.svg Coalition
Iraq Iraqi Security Forces
Flag of Jihad.svg Sunni Insurgents
Battles/wars Iraq war
For the Portuguese Special Groups, see: Special Groups (Portugal)

Special Groups (SGs) is a designation given by the US military to the cell-based Shi'a insurgent groups operating within Iraq, backed by Iran. They are a target of increasing focus as the Multinational Force Iraq's military operations in Iraq. These groups are allegedly funded, trained, and armed by the Iranian Quds Force.[citation needed] These groups are separate from although possibly connected with the Jaish al Mahdi or Mahdi Army, of Muqtada al-Sadr. A distinction between these groups and the Mahdi Army has been maintained more clearly since al-Sadr called for a ceasefire at the end of August 2007 following Mahdi Army clashes with Iraqi Security Forces in Karbala, Iraq but the Special Groups continued fighting. After the disbanding of the Mahdi Army in 2008 its successor was announced as a group called the Brigade of Promised Day; however the largest special group which emerged after the Iraq spring fighting of 2008 was a group called the Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq or Qazali Network. Another large special group is Kata'ib Hezbollah (or Hezbollah Brigades) which started to operate independently from the Mahdi Army and the other Special Groups. Suspected leaders include Qais al-Khazali, Laith al-Khazali, Ali al-Lami, Azhar al Dulaimi, Akram al-Kabi, Abu Mustafa al-Sheibani, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis and Abu Deraa.

In February 2010, the League of the Righteous kidnapped US military contractor Issa T. Salomi, a US citizen of Iraqi origin. They released a video of him where he read their demands, calling for the release of all the group's members, including several of the group's leaders who are currently imprisoned.[1]

[edit] List of Special Groups

[edit] Leaders

Name Group Rank Status
Qais al-Khazali Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq Leader Captured on March 20, 2007 in Basra,[7] released on January 5, 2010[8]
Laith al-Khazali Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq Deputy Leader Captured on March 20, 2007 in Basra,[7] released June 9, 2009[9]
Akram al-Kabi Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq Acting leader At large
Abu Mustafa al-Sheibani Sheibani Network Leader In Tehran, Iran.[10]
Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis Kata'ib Hezbollah
Quds Force		 Top Advisor to Kata'ib Hezbollah
and Iran's Quds Force		 At large
Azhar al Dulaimi Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq Karbala Raid mastermind Killed May 18, 2007 by US Forces in Baghdad
Ali Musa Daqduq Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq
Hezbollah		 Top advisor to Qais al-Khazali
Head of Hezbollah operations in Iraq		 Captured on March 20, 2007 in Basra[7]
Abu Yaser al-Sheibani Sheibani Network Deputy Leader Captured on April 20, 2007[7]
Ali Faisal al-Lami Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq
(INC)		 Senior Commander
Political leader		 Captured on August 28, 2008,[11] released in August 2009[12]
Tahseen al Freiji[13] Promised Day Brigade Social Political Leader [2] At Large
Akran Hasnawi Hasnawi Network Leader Killed on May 3, 2008 in Sadr City[13]
Mahdi Khaddam Alawi al-Zirjawi[13] Promised Day Brigade SG Sadr City Commander [3] At Large
Baqir al-Sa'idi[13] Promised Day Brigade Training In Iran, possibly returned to Sadr City[14]
Jawad Kazim al Tulaybani Promised Day Brigade Rocket Specialist[13] At Large
Haydar Mehdi Khadum al-Fawadi Own Group[15] Leader At Large[16]
Sheikh Abd al-Hadi al-Darraji Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq
(Sadr Movement)		 Financer[13]
Political/Religious leader		 Arrested January 10, 2007,[17] released 26 June 2009[18]
Abu Deraa Own Group Leader In Iran.[10]
Ahmad Abu Sajad al-Gharawi Own Group in Maysan Leader At Large[19]

[edit] External links

  1. ^ http://www.presstv.com/detail.aspx?id=118051&sectionid=351020201
  2. ^ http://www.uruknet.info/index.php?p=62482
  3. ^ http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2008/07/coalition_forces_cap.php
  4. ^ http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/17/AR2009071703634_2.html
  5. ^ http://www.roadstoiraq.com/2008/04/20/leader-of-tharallah-militia-died-under-torture/
  6. ^ http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=9766
  7. ^ a b c d Press Briefing, July 2
  8. ^ Iraq frees militant linked to British hostages
  9. ^ US frees Shia militant linked to British hostages in Iraq
  10. ^ a b United States Department of the Treasury Treasury Designates Individuals, Entity Fueling Iraqi Insurgency
  11. ^ Iraq official: U.S. foces arrest Ali al-Lami
  12. ^ U.S. general: 2 Iraqi election chiefs linked to Iran
  13. ^ a b c d e f US military killed Mahdi Army commander Arkan Hasnawi in May 3 strike
  14. ^ [1]
  15. ^ US: Shiite 'Special Group' Responsible For Deadly Baghdad Car Bomb
  16. ^ Rogue Iraq militia 'ordered bomb'
  17. ^ U.S., Iraqi forces arrest top aide to al-Sadr
  18. ^ Sadrists Deny Negotiating with US
  19. ^ Ahmad Abu Sajad al-Gharawi Iraqi insurgency Cell Leader
v • d • e
Armed Iraqi Groups in the Iraq War and the Civil war in Iraq
Insurgents Now-defunct Baathist rebels and insurgents Military of Iraq and Police Militias and others

Nationalist Salafies

Pan-Arab Nationalists

Jihadist Salafies

Baathists
  • Iraqi Army
    The Iraqi Army is a component of the Iraqi Security Forces tasked with assuming responsibility for all Iraqi land-based military operations following the 2003 Invasion of Iraq.
  • Iraqi Air Force
  • Iraqi Police
    The Iraqi Police are the organic civil police force of the Republic of Iraq. There are three main branches.
    • Iraqi Police Service (IPS): Responsible for the day to day patrolling of cities around most crimes.
    • National Police (NP): Paramilitary force for counterinsurgency, public disorder and counter terrorist tasks.
    • Supporting Forces: Remaining police organizations, primarily the Department of Border Enforcement (DBE).
  • Facilities Protection Service
    A paramilitary force responsible for protecting government buildings and facilities.

Shia militia

  • Mahdi Army (Jaish-i-Mahdi)(جيش المهدي)
    The Mahdi Army is a militia force created by the Iraqi Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr in June of 2003, disbanded in 2008.
  • Abu Deraa's Mahdi Army faction
    In the fall of 2006, Abu Deraa and his supporters formed their own militia.
  • Badr Organisation (originally Badr Brigade/Bader Corps) (منظمة بدر)
    The armed wing of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI).
  • Sheibani Network
    Smuggling network and Insurgent group, which both supplies other insurgents and attacks coalition and Iraqi forces.
  • Soldiers of Heaven
    an armed Iraqi Shi'a sect.
  • Special Groups (Iraq) Iranian backed factions of the Mahdi Army which went on to become separate organisations which continued fighting after the Mahdi Army's disbanding.
    • Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq (League of the Righteous)
      The largest Special Group, led by Qais al-Khazali and later [[Akram al-Kabi].
    • Promised Day Brigades
      The Special Group which was created as successor of the Mahdi Army and continued activities against US and coalition forces
    • Kata'ib Hezbollah (Hezbollah Brigades)
      The most notorious Special Group, it became completely independent from the Mahdi Army and other Special Groups.

Sunni militias


Kurdish militias

  • Peshmerga
    - term used by Kurds to refer to armed Kurdish fighters. The term is now officially used for the security forces of Iraq's Kurdistan Autonomous Region.
  • Kurdistan Workers Party or PKK. A militant separatist organization whose goal is the creation of a separate Kurdish state in Turkey. Currently has bases in Iraqi Kurdistan's Qandil mountains.
  • Party for a Free Life in Kurdistan or PJAK. A militant separatist organization whose goal is overthrowing the Islamic government of Iran. Currently taking refuge in the Qandil mountains.

Minority militias
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_Groups_(Iraq)"
Personal tools
Namespaces
Variants
Actions
Navigation
Interaction
Toolbox
Print/export