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Rebranded insurgents gain whip hand on streets of Baghdad Iraq crisis: rebranded insurgents gain whip hand on streets of Baghdad
(about 11 hours later)
For the past week the young and old of the Mahdi army had been preparing. New recruits, only children the last time the Shia militia all but ran Iraq, had been learning how to march and to clean weapons. Veterans of the insurgency against US forces and civil war that followed had been signing up cadres and receiving bodies from battlefields.For the past week the young and old of the Mahdi army had been preparing. New recruits, only children the last time the Shia militia all but ran Iraq, had been learning how to march and to clean weapons. Veterans of the insurgency against US forces and civil war that followed had been signing up cadres and receiving bodies from battlefields.
On Baghdad's streets, battered pickups shuttled weapons from depots to mosques where the rapid rearming has transformed the already militarised capital into a war zone in waiting.On Baghdad's streets, battered pickups shuttled weapons from depots to mosques where the rapid rearming has transformed the already militarised capital into a war zone in waiting.
With the mobilisation complete, the now battle-ready militia presented itself to Iraqis once more on Saturday, staging a series of parades in Baghdad and the south that made an emphatic statement of its readiness and intentions.With the mobilisation complete, the now battle-ready militia presented itself to Iraqis once more on Saturday, staging a series of parades in Baghdad and the south that made an emphatic statement of its readiness and intentions.
One of the most feared names in Iraq was back in business, even if it was fighting under a different banner. This time around, the Mahdi army will be called the Peace Brigades, after its leader, Moqtada al-Sadr, decided that a rebranding might shake it free from its infamous past.One of the most feared names in Iraq was back in business, even if it was fighting under a different banner. This time around, the Mahdi army will be called the Peace Brigades, after its leader, Moqtada al-Sadr, decided that a rebranding might shake it free from its infamous past.
But military marches are hardly peace offerings. And the rally through the Sadrist heartland of Sadr City was no different. Columns of fighters carrying rifles, trucks laden with rockets and men in white wearing mock suicide vests were on the move through the former slum-turned-battlefield soon after sunrise in a futile attempt to beat the blazing midsummer heat. Up to 20,000 men, many of whom quit jobs last week to join the militia, responded to the call to arms from al-Sadr and from Iraq's highest Shia authority, Ayatollah al-Sistani.But military marches are hardly peace offerings. And the rally through the Sadrist heartland of Sadr City was no different. Columns of fighters carrying rifles, trucks laden with rockets and men in white wearing mock suicide vests were on the move through the former slum-turned-battlefield soon after sunrise in a futile attempt to beat the blazing midsummer heat. Up to 20,000 men, many of whom quit jobs last week to join the militia, responded to the call to arms from al-Sadr and from Iraq's highest Shia authority, Ayatollah al-Sistani.
Chanting battle hymns, they jogged past buildings still pockmarked by clashes with US forces who occupied the area in 2008 and had fought running battles with the Mahdi army for most of the nine years that they remained in Iraq.Chanting battle hymns, they jogged past buildings still pockmarked by clashes with US forces who occupied the area in 2008 and had fought running battles with the Mahdi army for most of the nine years that they remained in Iraq.
"See that building over there?" asked one homeowner, Abu Enas, as he pointed to a cluster of low-set homes across the road. "That's where they were when they destroyed my home. This whole street was a no-go zone.""See that building over there?" asked one homeowner, Abu Enas, as he pointed to a cluster of low-set homes across the road. "That's where they were when they destroyed my home. This whole street was a no-go zone."
Much of the vast, sprawling neighbourhood in Baghdad's north-east has been rebuilt in the years since the Americans left. But it still gets bombed by a foe common to both, the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (Isis), which over the last 10 dramatic days overran the north of the country and vowed to splinter it along sectarian lines.Much of the vast, sprawling neighbourhood in Baghdad's north-east has been rebuilt in the years since the Americans left. But it still gets bombed by a foe common to both, the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (Isis), which over the last 10 dramatic days overran the north of the country and vowed to splinter it along sectarian lines.
Clashes here with US forces were such a centrepiece of the Iraq war that the prospect of the US air force now giving cover to the group in coming weeks seemed unfathomable for many of those on the sidelines of Saturday's parade.Clashes here with US forces were such a centrepiece of the Iraq war that the prospect of the US air force now giving cover to the group in coming weeks seemed unfathomable for many of those on the sidelines of Saturday's parade.
"There is no way we can accept this," said Sayed Ibrahim al-Jabari, a senior representative of the Sadrist movement in Sadr City. "We have the military that can finish the job against Isis and we reject any foreign intervention, whether that be Iranian, Saudi, American, or Qatari." But such is the perceived threat posed by Isis, that many Mahdi army members are quietly hoping their former enemy goes after the group sooner rather than later."There is no way we can accept this," said Sayed Ibrahim al-Jabari, a senior representative of the Sadrist movement in Sadr City. "We have the military that can finish the job against Isis and we reject any foreign intervention, whether that be Iranian, Saudi, American, or Qatari." But such is the perceived threat posed by Isis, that many Mahdi army members are quietly hoping their former enemy goes after the group sooner rather than later.
"Look, if the Americans want to go after (Isis), then let them," said one member, a police officer during breaks between wars. "But someone must stop them going after the Sunni communities, the Christians, or any other community.""Look, if the Americans want to go after (Isis), then let them," said one member, a police officer during breaks between wars. "But someone must stop them going after the Sunni communities, the Christians, or any other community."
Others say they remain ambivalent, but will not protest loudly if the US decides to attack. "If they are fighting with us now, that just proves we were on the right side all along," said Zaid Qhalafi, another militia member. "We are the protectors of the Imam (Mahdi), and they have come around to our way."Others say they remain ambivalent, but will not protest loudly if the US decides to attack. "If they are fighting with us now, that just proves we were on the right side all along," said Zaid Qhalafi, another militia member. "We are the protectors of the Imam (Mahdi), and they have come around to our way."
Saturday's parade was billed by those present as a nation-building event which would reassure Iraqis that the reinvented Mahdi army would act as custodians of the nation. The vivid Shia iconography, green and yellow flags and blaring hyms, might make that a tough sell with Sunnis who are yet to bury the ghosts of such a painful, recent past.Saturday's parade was billed by those present as a nation-building event which would reassure Iraqis that the reinvented Mahdi army would act as custodians of the nation. The vivid Shia iconography, green and yellow flags and blaring hyms, might make that a tough sell with Sunnis who are yet to bury the ghosts of such a painful, recent past.
Iraqi banners were few and far between. And, here, as elsewhere in Baghdad, the Mahdi army clearly held primacy over state institutions. A police patrol in a giant green pickup truck, which was carrying the Observer to the main parade area, was twice refused entry by Mahdi army members at checkpoints. The officers outranked the militiamen, but were not prepared to take them on, simply backing up their truck and leaving.Iraqi banners were few and far between. And, here, as elsewhere in Baghdad, the Mahdi army clearly held primacy over state institutions. A police patrol in a giant green pickup truck, which was carrying the Observer to the main parade area, was twice refused entry by Mahdi army members at checkpoints. The officers outranked the militiamen, but were not prepared to take them on, simply backing up their truck and leaving.
Militias are increasingly holding sway in the capital and elsewhere, especially on the east of the Tigris river, which is predominantly home to the city's Shia residents. Here the facade of state bodies working alongside the militia groups and their burgeoning ranks of volunteers quickly gives way as soon as a problem emerges. Bombs, security scares and road closures are all directed by men in the nearby shadows.Militias are increasingly holding sway in the capital and elsewhere, especially on the east of the Tigris river, which is predominantly home to the city's Shia residents. Here the facade of state bodies working alongside the militia groups and their burgeoning ranks of volunteers quickly gives way as soon as a problem emerges. Bombs, security scares and road closures are all directed by men in the nearby shadows.
The power play beteween the fragile state and ascendant militias is made even more potent by the Sadrists' enmity towards the prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, to whom Iraq's security forces notionally report.The power play beteween the fragile state and ascendant militias is made even more potent by the Sadrists' enmity towards the prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, to whom Iraq's security forces notionally report.
Weakened by the capitulation of his army in the north, and politically embattled by waning support within his own bloc and internationally, Maliki cannot call on the Sadrists for support. "The only solution to unite this country is to get rid of Maliki and replace him with someone who can bring everyone together," said Jabari. "Everyone knows he is a problem."Weakened by the capitulation of his army in the north, and politically embattled by waning support within his own bloc and internationally, Maliki cannot call on the Sadrists for support. "The only solution to unite this country is to get rid of Maliki and replace him with someone who can bring everyone together," said Jabari. "Everyone knows he is a problem."
Just outside Sadr City, in another Shia district, Mashtal, the body of an Iraqi soldier, a Shia recruit from the same area, had just arrived at the local mosque. "They defaced him," said the militiaman who received him. "He was one of those who were captured in Tikrit by Isis, then killed."Just outside Sadr City, in another Shia district, Mashtal, the body of an Iraqi soldier, a Shia recruit from the same area, had just arrived at the local mosque. "They defaced him," said the militiaman who received him. "He was one of those who were captured in Tikrit by Isis, then killed."
On the same morning, two Sunni butchers from the mainly Shia community had been killed and their bodies dumped in the street, in a scene that harked back to the sectarian slaughter of 2006, in which up to 100 bodies a day were found in Baghdad each day for many months. "It was provocateurs trying to cause trouble," said one new Mahdi army recruit, who called himself Abu Ibrahim, and was trying to downplay the incident. "But we have caught them already."On the same morning, two Sunni butchers from the mainly Shia community had been killed and their bodies dumped in the street, in a scene that harked back to the sectarian slaughter of 2006, in which up to 100 bodies a day were found in Baghdad each day for many months. "It was provocateurs trying to cause trouble," said one new Mahdi army recruit, who called himself Abu Ibrahim, and was trying to downplay the incident. "But we have caught them already."
Vigilante justice is fast taking hold in parts of Baghdad. And there is a sense that some of the killings in other parts of the city may be score-settling from the civil war years.Vigilante justice is fast taking hold in parts of Baghdad. And there is a sense that some of the killings in other parts of the city may be score-settling from the civil war years.
"It's not like it used to be yet," said a man from the Sunni western suburb of Ghazaliyah. "But it is worrying. The Mahdi army and Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq (a powerful Iranian-backed Shia rival group) are coming here most days."It's not like it used to be yet," said a man from the Sunni western suburb of Ghazaliyah. "But it is worrying. The Mahdi army and Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq (a powerful Iranian-backed Shia rival group) are coming here most days.
"It's only because we have a strong army commander here that they are not getting in.""It's only because we have a strong army commander here that they are not getting in."
Elsewhere, in areas where military leaders are less willing to confront the militias, some neighbourhoods are slowly emptying.Elsewhere, in areas where military leaders are less willing to confront the militias, some neighbourhoods are slowly emptying.
"If the militias really do take hold, then this country is lost," said Mehdi Zahra, a resident of the east. "This talk about a strong state is not reality. The army can't fight, the government can't govern, and the state can't oppose a militia.""If the militias really do take hold, then this country is lost," said Mehdi Zahra, a resident of the east. "This talk about a strong state is not reality. The army can't fight, the government can't govern, and the state can't oppose a militia."
The price of a Kalashnikov rifle, long a ready-reckoner of tensions in Iraq, has increased by 50% in the past week, according to the city's gun dealers. And, even on the black market, the cost of ammunition has almost tripled.The price of a Kalashnikov rifle, long a ready-reckoner of tensions in Iraq, has increased by 50% in the past week, according to the city's gun dealers. And, even on the black market, the cost of ammunition has almost tripled.
In the runup to the parade, the Mahdi army and Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq had been adopting a reassuring posture on the streets of the eastern suburbs. "They are trying to tell Iraqis that they have got the situation under control," said Mowaffik Muntadar, a businessman from Basra. "But in Basra, like here, people are genuinely scared, both of [Isis] and the state's incompetence in dealing with them.In the runup to the parade, the Mahdi army and Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq had been adopting a reassuring posture on the streets of the eastern suburbs. "They are trying to tell Iraqis that they have got the situation under control," said Mowaffik Muntadar, a businessman from Basra. "But in Basra, like here, people are genuinely scared, both of [Isis] and the state's incompetence in dealing with them.
"It is normal for people to rally behind their sect when their sect is under attack. But where will this leave us as a country?""It is normal for people to rally behind their sect when their sect is under attack. But where will this leave us as a country?"