BAGHDAD – Iraqi Special Operations Forces, with U.S. Special Forces as advisers, detained a suspected battalion commander of a rogue element of the Jaysh al Mahdi militia and one suspected insurgent during an intelligence-driven operation in Baghdad Aug. 27.
The suspected Shi’a extremist operates in Qhadirah, an area in Baghdad. Reports indicate he directs a group that targets Iraqi citizens for kidnapping and extrajudicial killings. The alleged leader also maintains connections to insurgents in the Hayani area, Baghdad and Basrah.
Intelligence indicates the targeted individual’s group is also responsible for emplacing explosively formed penetrators, or EFPs, in Sadr City targeting Iraqi and Coalition
Forces.
The men are currently being detained for questioning for their involvement in criminal activities and the deaths of local citizens.
No Iraqi or U.S. Special Forces were injured during the raid.
As Dan Riehl notes:
[T]his has to be a desperation play by Mookie. There's every chance many factions of the Mahdi Army won't stand down, leaving al-Sadr exposed as an Iranian puppet who no longer pulls that many strings on the ground in Iraq. It'll be interesting to watch, but don't look for the media to point that last bit out if it happens.
I couldn't agree more. Now is the time for Coalition Forces to clear out Sadr City completely of these JAM elements and their supporters. Now all we have to do is see how much pressure Iran puts on al Sadr to reassert his authority, or loss command of his own militia.
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