Promised Day Brigades

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Promised Day Brigades (PDB)
Participant in the Iraq War

Flag of the Promised Day Brigades.
Active May 2008–present
Leaders Muqtada al-Sadr
Headquarters Sadr City, Baghdad
Area of
operations		 Iraq and Syria
Strength

15,000 (2008)[1]

5,000 (2011)[2]
Part of Special Groups
Originated as Mahdi Army
Allies

 Syria
 Iran
 North Korea
Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq
Kata'ib Hezbollah

Other Special Groups
Opponents

United States-Iraq
MNF–I

Syria Free Syrian Army
Battles/wars Iraq War
Syrian civil war

The Promised Day Brigades (PDB) (Arabic: لواء اليوم الموعود Liwa al-Youm al-Mawud), originally called the Muqawimun[3] is an Shi'a Islamist and insurgent group operating in Iraq and Syria. In 2010 it was one of the largest and most powerful of what the US military call "Special Groups" in Iraq.[4] The group was created as successor to Muqtada al-Sadr's Mahdi Army, which was Iraq's largest Shi'a militia until its disbanding in 2008, he also called on other Special Groups to join the brigades. Sadr had earlier already talked about the creation of a smaller guerrilla unit which would continue the Mahdi Army's armed activities but for the first time gave the organisation a name in November 2008 when he declared the creation of the Promised Day Brigades.[5] Its activities have particularly increased since May 2009.[3] The group is alleged to receive Iranian support. A crackdown against the group in end 2009 led to the arrest of 18 of its members including several commanders.[6] On November 29, 2009, the group's Basra leader was arrested in al-Amarah.[7]

In October 2009 the Promised Day Brigade fought a battle with rival Special Group Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq for influence in Sadr City. The Promised Day Brigade reportedly won the battle and even managed to destroy the house of Abdul Hadi al-Darraji, a senior Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq leader. Since then the PDB has been the most powerful Special Group in the ex-Mahdi Army stronghold of Sadr City and has increased its activity there.[8]

On July 21, 2010 General Ray Odierno said Iran supports three Shiite groups in Iraq that had attempted to attack US bases:[9] US officials believe that of these three groups, the Promised Day Brigades poses the greatest threat to Iraq's long-term security.[2]

  1. the Promised Day Brigades
  2. Ketaib Hezbollah (Hezbollah Brigades)
  3. Asaib Ahl al-Haq (League of the Righteous)

See also

  • List of armed groups in the Syrian civil war

References

  1. ↑
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 US officials name 3 Iraqi militias armed by Iran to kill Yanks
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Page 29
  4. ↑ Londoã±O, Ernesto; DeYoung, Karen (July 18, 2009). "U.S. Commanders Are Concerned About New Iraqi Restrictions on American Troops". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 22, 2010. 
  5. ↑ http://www.zimbio.com/War+in+Iraq/articles/3427/Iraq+Promised+Day+Brigade+reforming+Shiite
  6. ↑ http://www.defenddemocracy.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=11787517&Itemid=361
  7. ↑ Suspected armed group leader arrested in Missan
  8. ↑ http://www.opendemocracy.net/opensecurity/shatha-al-juburi/can-iraqs-sadrists-prove-their-nationalist-credentials
  9. ↑ http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jCA6iGhsEI3i-z4hAG8Z2Cu4kV3Q
Armed groups in the Iraq War
Insurgents Now-defunct Ba'athist rebels and insurgents Iraqi Armed Forces and Police Militias and others

Nationalist Salafies

  • Jaish al-Mujahideen
  • Mujahideen Battalions of the Salafi Group of Iraq
  • Islamic Salafist Boy Scout Battalions (Kataab Ashbal Al Islam Al Salafi)
  • Mohammad's Army (aka Jeish Muhammad)
    A guerrilla group opposed to the coalition forces, composed primarily of Sunnis believed to have Ba'athist ties.

Pan-Arab Nationalists

Salafist jihadism

Ba'athists
  • Iraqi Army
    The Iraqi Army, a component of the Iraqi Security Forces tasked with 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. The police have three main branches.
    1. Iraqi Police Service (IPS): Responsible for the day to day patrolling of cities around most crimes.
    2. National Police (NP): Paramilitary force for counterinsurgency, public-disorder and counter-terrorist tasks.
    3. 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 militias

  • 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 Organization (originally Badr Brigade/Bader Corps) (منظمة بدر)
    The armed wing of the Islamic Supreme Council of 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 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 Iraqi Kurdistan.
  • Kurdistan Workers' Party or PKK. A militant separatist organization which aims to set up an independent Kurdish state in Turkey. As of 2013 has bases in Iraqi Kurdistan's Qandil mountains.
  • Kurdistan Freedom Falcons or TAK. Radical splinter group from the PKK, currently residing in the Qandil mountains.
  • Party for a Free Life in Kurdistan or PJAK. A militant organization aiming to overthrow the Islamic government of Iran. As of 2013 taking refuge in the Qandil mountains.

Minority militias

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