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Muqtada al Sadr. |
Posted on 03/26/2008 10:44:07 AM PDT by Tennessean4Bush
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Muqtada al Sadr. |
BAGHDAD, IRAQ: The cease-fire extension issued by Muqtada al Sadr, the leader of the Iranian-backed Mahdi Army, appears to be in jeopardy after the Iraqi government has launched an offensive against the Shia terror group in the southern city of Basra. Dubbed Operation Knights' Assault, Iraqi security forces have gone on the offensive to wrest control of the strategic oil hub and Iraq's second largest city from Mahdi Army control. The fighting has spread to Baghdad and the southern provinces.
The Knights' Assault is an Iraqi-led operation, and was ordered directly by Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki, who is in Basrah to direct the operation along with Interior Minister Jawad Bolani. Basrah has seen an uptick in Iranian-backed terror activity since the British withdrew from the city late last year. Political assassinations and intimidation campaigns have been on the rise as the Iranian work to extend their influence in the oil-rich city.
At least 18 Iraqis were killed, including three policemen, and more than 100 wounded in fighting in the southern city on Tuesday, as Iraqi troops advance to clear neighborhoods controlled by the Mahdi Army. Fighting is reported to have broken out in Baghdad and Al Kut in Wasit province. Curfews have been imposed in Karbala, Wasit, Babil, Diwaniyah, Nasiriyah, and Basrah after fighting between the Mahdi Army and Iraqi security forces broke out in the South.
The Sadrist Bloc, the political arm of the Mahdi Army, has boycotted Parliament and called for general strike and civil disobedience. Muqtada al Sadr has not officially withdrawn from the self-imposed cease-fire.
Mahdi Army forces have also launched mortar and rocket attacks at US and Iraqi bases in Baghdad. On March 25, twelve mortar and rocket strikes were launched at the International Zone, Forward Operating Base Falcon, Forward Operating Base Rustamiyah, and Joint Security Stations Thawra 1 and SUJ. The attacks were launched from Sadr City, a Mahdi Army stronghold in Baghdad. On March 23, 15 civilians were killed during mortar and rocket attacks aimed at the sprawling Coalition military complex southern Baghdad.
US troops are acting in a support role in Basrah and the south, several US military officers told The Long War Journal. The US is providing intelligence, combat support, and air assets to back Iraqi security forces in Basrah and along the Iranian border.
US forces are also actively hunting the Mahdi Army cells in Baghdad conducting the mortar and rocket attacks. Coalition and Iraqi Army forces detained 11 Special Groups operatives believed to be behind a mortar attack on FOB Falcon.
The current Iraqi offensive has been in the works for some time. The Iraqi Army and police have been massing forces in the south since August 2007, when the Basrah Operational Command was established to coordinate efforts in the region. As of December the Iraqi Army deployed four brigades and an Iraqi Special Operations Forces battalion in Basrah province. The Iraqi National Police deployed two additional battalions to the province.
The clashes with the Mahdi Army come just weeks after Muqtada al Sadr admitted failure in Iraq. "So far I did not succeed either to liberate Iraq or make it an Islamic society — whether because of my own inability or the inability of society, only God knows," Sadr wrote to his followers. "The continued presence of the occupiers, on the one hand, and the disobedience of many on the other, pushed me to isolate myself in protest. I gave society a big proportion of my life. Even my body became weaker, I got more sicknesses."
Sadr declared an extension of his unilateral cease-fire on Feb. 22 after the US military and the Iraqi government brought significant political and military pressure on the Sadrist bloc and the "rogue" elements of the Mahdi Army. This decision caused sharp divisions inside the Sadrist movement and the Mahdi Army, with some politicians and military commanders vowing to fight the US military and the Iraqi government.
Sadr's Mahdi Army has been formed by Iran's Qods Force along the lines of Lebanese Hezbollah. Imad Mugniyah, the senior Hezbollah military commander who was killed in Syria in February, was among those behind the formation and training of the Mahdi Army. Iran established the Ramadan Corps to run weapons, fighters, and support to the Special Groups, which include significant elements of Sadr's Mahdi Army.
LWJ ping...
Mookie needs to go away...soon. And, then his second tier commanders, also.
These people have become to numb to barbarism and violence that their first tool out of the toolbox is mortars and rockets...doesn’t matter what the problem or issue may be.
“...pushed me to isolate myself in protest”
TRANSLATION: “ Hide in fear for my life, not only ftom the Coalition, but from my own underlings.”
thanks Tennessean4Bush.
“Sadr declared an extension of his unilateral cease-fire on Feb. 22 after the US military and the Iraqi government brought significant political and military pressure on the Sadrist bloc and the ‘rogue’ elements of the Mahdi Army. This decision caused sharp divisions inside the Sadrist movement and the Mahdi Army, with some politicians and military commanders vowing to fight the US military and the Iraqi government.”
Sadr militia battle troops in four Iraqi cities
(civil disobedience campaign escalating?)
AFP on Yahoo | 3/25/08 | Ammar Karim
Posted on 03/25/2008 2:36:16 PM EDT by NormsRevenge
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1991408/posts
Across Iraq, battles erupt with Mahdi Army
The Christian Science Monitor | March 26, 2008 edition | Sam Dagher
Posted on 03/25/2008 11:32:36 PM EDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1991647/posts
Feeling sicknesses Mookie? Don’t worry we will help see that the new Iraqi forces put you of your misery.
It’s about time they do something about Basra. It’s a cesspool or corruption and armed gangs sanctioned by Mookie and his rivals.
Bunch of thugs.
Why would a culture who is supposed to be super-sensitive to references to the Crusades name an operation “Knights Assault” even if it is being conducted by Iraqi’s and not Americans or Europeans?
The US troops need to block the east side of the battle to prevent escape of the rats to IRAN. This is right against the border and the rats come and go every time they fell “sickness” coming on.
The US needs to keep the cameras out and let the IRAQIs do the cleansing necessary.
Once clean, the White Knights need to set up an orderly oil infrastructure to pay for it all (and hope IRAN makes a .move)
Lost in translation? They probably intended to call it Horsemen’s Assault (or even Night Assault).
Thanks, you’re probably right.
Thanks for the ping. Iraq’s finest getting it done with our support.
Trickle down annihilation is a necessary component. Hussein is gone. His sons are gone. Zarqawi is gone.
Why is Sadr still alive? Why is Hassan Nasrullah still alive?
His dentist ought to be taken out and shot against the nearest wall.
Thanks..
There is no doubt he is laying low until he can catch the first 1:00 AM bus ride directly to the Iranian border.
********************EXCERPT**********************
Posted by: Curt @ 9:36 am
You can feel the utter joy coming from the writers at the NYT’s and the tabloid newspaper, Mclatchy, on their reporting of Iraq today. Joy at maybe, just maybe!, the Surge will fail and they can go back to blaming Bush. First, take a look at this doozy of a headline by Mclatchy, written by Leila Fadel and Ali al Basri:
“Battles Wrack Basra, Threatening Success of U.S. Surge.”
Please.
The Times at least put a few opposing voices into their article:
“Maliki Gives Shiite Militias 72 Hours to Halt Fighting”
But in the Times version they attempt to portray a few acts of violence in Baghdad as somehow connected to the attack in Basra. Makes for a better story you see.
This fight was a long time in coming since central-government control of the city has to be restored if the federal government is going to be successful. After the British pulled out of Basra the turf wars began between the Badr Brigades and the Sadr Mahdi Army. A gang war if you will. Sadr asked his Mahdi Army to stand down but they have refused, which is good. The sooner they are defeated the sooner its over, no way the gang can win this thing. Probably the reason Sadr told them to stand down. He understands they cannot win militarily….but thugs being thugs, they continue to fight and be killed.
Good on them.
The Sadrists can blame Maliki all they want. For a federal government to work there must be central government control. No smoke and mirrors and wink-wink baloney.
The fact of the matter is that those who hope we can leave Iraq soon should be praying that the American trained Iraqi troops perform well in this much needed operation. They succeed and we all have proof that they are one step closer to being able to defend their country by themselves.
They had knights too...
Hope the current situation provides our troops with the opportunity to deal with these dirtbags once and for all. The very idea that something called the Mahdi (Mehdi?) Army can still exist at this point is retarded. Hope they are eliminated with extreme prejudice.
Good. The Iraqis are getting tired of the Mookster too, it seems. The sooner he’s taken out the better.
Im hear many Basrans are tipping off the Coalition soldiers about where the Militia fighters are hiding. >B-)
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