Special Groups (Iraq)

Special Groups (Iraq)

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. These groups are allegedly funded, trained, and armed by the Iranian Quds Force. 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 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. Iran is supporting three Shiite extremist groups in Iraq that have been attempting to attack US bases, General Ray Odierno, the top US 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 Ketaib Hezbollah, Asaib Ahl al-Haq (League of the Righteous), and the Promise Day Brigade.

Among the Special Groups the Promised Day Brigades is said to be the largest with over 5,000 fighters, they are also believed to pose the biggest long-term security threat to Iraq, by US officials. 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 every 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.