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Special Groups
Leaders	Muqtada al-Sadr Qais al-Khazali Akram al-Kaabi Abu Mustafa al-Sheibani Sayyid Ahmad Sajad al-Gharawi Abu Deraa Arkan Hasnawi † Haydar al-Majidi
Dates of operation	2007–2011
Headquarters	Sadr City
Active regions	Sadr City and southern Iraq
Ideology	Shi'a Islamism
Size	7,000+ (2011)
Part of	Mahdi Army (until 2008) Iraqi insurgency
Allies	Mahdi Army  Iran (claimed by US)  Syria  Russia  Hezbollah (claimed by US)
Opponents	Coalition (until 2009)  United States Iraqi Security Forces (until 2011) Sunni Insurgents Free Syrian Army
Battles and wars	War on Terror Iraq War Sectarian violence in Iraq (2006-2008) Iraqi insurgency Syrian Civil War
Preceded by Mahdi ArmySucceeded by Popular Mobilization Forces Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq Kata'ib Hezbollah Promised Day Brigades

Special Groups (SGs) is a designation given by the United States military to the cell-based Shi'a paramilitary organizations operating within Iraq. According to the United States these groups are funded, trained, and armed by the Iranian Quds Force, part of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). According to the United States Department of Defense, 603 American troops in total were confirmed to have been killed by IRGC-backed Shia militias (Special Groups) during the Iraq War.

According to American General Kevin J. Bergner, the Special Groups receive between 750,000 and 3,000,000 dollars funding per month from the Quds Force. These groups are separate from but allied with the Mahdi Army of Muqtada al-Sadr. The distinction between these groups and the Mahdi Army became more clear when al-Sadr called for a ceasefire at the end of August 2007 following Mahdi Army clashes with Iraqi Security Forces in Karbala but the Special Groups continued fighting. After the Mahdi Army's disbandment in 2008, the Promised Day Brigades emerged as its successor; however, the largest special group to emerge after the Iraq spring fighting of 2008 was Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq (also known as the Khazali Network). According to the Guardian newspaper in March 2014, Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq was controlled by Iran under Quds Force General Qasem Soleimani, who was killed in 2020. 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-Kaabi, Abu Mustafa al-Sheibani, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis and Abu Deraa.

History

Ever since the Islamic Revolution, Iran has sought to back Shia Islamist paramilitary organizations across the Middle East. Many have been very close to the Iranian state, particularly the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, like the Movement of Vanguard Missionaries and the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI). During the Iran–Iraq War many of these groups fought for Iran, with SCIRI's Badr Brigade being led by Iranian officers. After the US overthrow of Saddam Hussein, these Iranian-led militia men returned to Iraq where they retained their autonomy and Iran continued to support Shia Islamist paramilitaries.

In February 2010, Asaib Ahl al-Haq kidnapped U.S. contractor Issa T. Salomi, a naturalized American from Iraq. 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 were imprisoned. He was released in March 2010 in exchange for four AAH militants being held in Iraqi custody. Iran is supporting three Shiite extremist groups in Iraq that have been attempting to attack American bases, General Ray Odierno, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, said on July 21, 2010. The Iranians have "gone to a more sophisticated program with a smaller set of extremists" and are now focusing on three groups, which he identified as Kataib Hezbollah, Asaib Ahl al-Haq (League of the Righteous), and the Promised Day Brigade.

As of 2011, according to American officials, the Promised Day Brigades is the largest, with over 5,000 fighters, and pose the biggest long-term security threat to Iraq. Kata'ib Hezbollah is said to have around 1,000 fighters and is the most exclusively reliant on Iranian support. Asa'ib al-Haq is said to have less than 1,000 fighters as of 2011 and receives a reported 5 million per month in Iranian funding. The Promised Day Brigades is said to receive the least amount of Iranian funding and is the most independent of the three.

Since the beginning of the Iraqi war against ISIS, the Special Groups have joined the Popular Mobilization Forces to fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.

Leaders

See also

• Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba
• Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada
• Kata'ib al-Imam Ali
• Jaysh al-Mu'ammal
• Liwa Assad Allah
• Hezbollah (Lebanon)
• Hezbollah al-Hejaz (Saudi Arabia)
• Liwa Fatemiyoun (Syria)
• Liwa Zainebiyoun (Syria)
• Harakah al-Sabireen (Palestine)
• Islamic Movement (Nigeria)

References

1. ^ "US officials name 3 Iraqi militias armed by Iran to kill yanks". Iran Times. 7 July 2011. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
2. https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2019/04/04/iran-killed-more-us-troops-in-iraq-than-previously-known-pentagon-says/
3. "Iran killed more US troops in Iraq than previously known, Pentagon says". Militarytimes.com. 6 April 2019. Retrieved 2021-11-19.
4. "The Official Website – United States Forces – Iraq". Archived from the original on July 17, 2011. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
5. Controlled by Iran, the deadly militia recruiting Iraq's men to die in Syria, The Guardian, 12 March 2014
6. "San Diego man recounts Iraq kidnapping". 12 August 2010.
7. Archived July 24, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
8. "Armed Iraqis Wary of Security Plan". The Washington Post. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
9. "Al-Sadr back in Iraq stronghold". Al Jazeera English. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
10. ^ "Press Briefing, July 2". Archived from the original on September 11, 2010. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
11. "Iraq frees militant linked to British hostages". U-T San Diego. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
12. Martin Chulov (9 June 2009). "US frees Shia militant linked to British hostages in Iraq". the Guardian. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
13. United States Department of the Treasury Treasury Designates Individuals, Entity Fueling Iraqi Insurgency Archived 2010-05-28 at the Wayback Machine
14. "Iraq: Return of Sheibani's killer squads". UPI. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
15. Lake, Eli (17 December 2011). "U.S. Turns Over Terrorism Suspect Ali Musa Daqduq to Iraq". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
16. Gordon, Michael (16 November 2012). "Against U.S. Wishes, Iraq Releases Man Accused of Killing American Soldiers". NY Times. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
17. "Iraq official: U.S. forces arrest Ali al-Lami". USA Today. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
18. "U.S. general: 2 Iraqi election chiefs linked to Iran". The Washington Times. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
19. ^ "US military killed Mahdi Army commander Arkan Hasnawi in May 3 strike". 21 May 2008. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
20. Bolton, Kent (2008-05-21). "Hydrablog: U.S. Deploys a Purpose-Driven Distinction". Hydrablog.csusm.edu. Archived from the original on 2015-12-08. Retrieved 2015-11-29.
21. "Foundation for Defense of Democracies". Defenddemocracy.org. Retrieved 2015-11-29.
22. "Kuwait Times – Leading English Daily in Kuwait". Kuwait Times. Archived from the original on 24 February 2012. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
23. "US: Shiite 'Special Group' Responsible For Deadly Baghdad Car Bomb". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
24. "Rogue Iraq militia 'ordered bomb'". Retrieved 7 November 2014.
25. "U.S., Iraqi forces arrest top aide to al-Sadr". NBC News. 19 January 2007. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
26. "Sadrists Deny Negotiating with US". Archived from the original on 2011-07-07. Retrieved 2010-05-16.
27. Al, Asharq (2015-02-25). "ASHARQ AL-AWSAT". Aawsat.com. Archived from the original on 2010-08-20. Retrieved 2015-11-29.
28. John J. Lumpkin. "Ahmad Abu Sajad al-Gharawi Iraqi insurgency Cell Leader". Retrieved 7 November 2014.
29. "Special Groups leader detained in Wassit : Aswat Al Iraq". Archived from the original on 16 March 2012. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
30. "Religious Allegiances among Pro-Iranian Special Groups in Iraq – Combating Terrorism Center at West Point". 26 September 2011. Retrieved 7 November 2014.

External links

• Coalition forces target Special Groups leader, 49 criminals killed Archived 2009-01-08 at the Wayback Machine – 21 Oct 2007
• Raid in Baghdad's Sadr City kills 49 Special Groups operatives – 21 Oct 2007
• DoD News Briefing with Maj. Gen. Sherlock from the Pentagon – 04 Oct 2007
• Cooling The Clash With Iran – 16 Sep 2007
• Gen. Petraeus Opening Remarks to Congress Archived 2022-07-13 at the Wayback Machine – 11 Sep 2007
• Two Suspected Secret Cell Terrorists Detained by Coalition Forces Archived 2008-04-04 at the Wayback Machine – 12 Jul 2007
• MNF-I spokesman details secret cell involvement in Iraq Archived 2009-09-07 at the Wayback Machine – 02 Jul 2007
• – 15 Nov 2008
• Archived 2010-06-17 at the Wayback Machine
• – 26 Apr 2009
• Special Groups training Archived 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine
• Recent Attacks in Iraq: Al-Qaeda in Iraq or Special Groups? Archived 2011-02-05 at the Wayback Machine

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