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| {{Short description|2007 battle between Shia cult members and Iraqi security forces were over 250 were killed}} | |||
| {{current}} | |||
| {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2023}} | |||
| {{Infobox |
{{Infobox military conflict | ||
| |conflict=Battle of Najaf (2007) | | conflict = Battle of Najaf (2007) | ||
| |partof=the ], ] | | partof = the ], ] | ||
| |image=] | |||
| | image = | |||
| |caption=Smoke from the site of the downed ] ] | |||
| | caption = | |||
| |date=] - ], ] | |||
| | date = 28–29 January 2007 | |||
| |place=], ], ] | | place = ], ], ] | ||
| |casus= | |||
| | casus = | |||
| |territory= | | territory = | ||
| |result=]i |
| result = ]i and Coalition victory | ||
| |combatant1 |
| combatant1 = {{flagicon|Iraq|2004}} ]<br>{{flagicon|United States}} ]<br>{{flagicon|United Kingdom}} ] | ||
| |combatant2=] | | combatant2 = ], possibly Iraqi tribesmen | ||
| |commander1=Maj.Gen. ] | |||
| | commander1 = {{flagicon|United States}} ]<br> {{flagicon|United States}} ]<br>{{flagicon|Iraq|2004}} ] | |||
| |commander2=]†<br>](?) | |||
| | commander2 = ]{{KIA}}<ref name="nytimes.com">, The New York Times, 1 February 2007</ref> | |||
| |strength1=unknown | |||
| | commander3 = | |||
| ⚫ | |strength2= |
||
| | strength1 = 800 | |||
| |casualties1=11-25 killed (Iraqi forces)<br/>2 killed (US)<br>1 helicopter ] (US) | |||
| ⚫ | | strength2 = 1,000 | ||
| |casualties2=Iraqi estimates of about 263 killed, 502 captured | |||
| | casualties1 = {{flagicon|Iraq|2004}} 11–25 killed <br/> {{flagicon|United States}} 2 killed <br/>1 ] ] | |||
| |notes= | |||
| | casualties2 = 263 killed, 407 captured (actual count by US Forces conducting detainee operations post battle) | |||
| | notes = | |||
| }} | }} | ||
| {{Campaignbox Iraq War}} | {{Campaignbox Iraq War}} | ||
| The '''Battle of Najaf''' took place on 28 January 2007 at ] (also spelled Zarga) near ], ], between ] (later assisted by ] and ] forces) and fighters, initially thought to be ] but later reported to be members of the ] cult ], who had joined a gathering of worshippers – or, by other accounts, a conflict, originally between an Iraqi government forces checkpoint and 200 armed pilgrims, which then expanded to include local residents, the Soldiers of Heaven group, and UK and U.S. forces. Reportedly, over 250 cult members and 11-25 members of the Iraqi security forces, and two U.S. soldiers were killed. | |||
| ==Iraqi official account== | |||
| The ] '''Battle of Najaf''' took place on ] ] in ], ], between | |||
| {{More citations needed section|date=September 2020}}In the lead-up to the Day of ], which involves large numbers of pilgrims travelling, some to ], for Shiite festivals, the Iraqi officials claimed<ref name="AP-leader-29-1-2007"/> to have discovered a plot by "a heavily armed cult"<ref name="AP-leader-29-1-2007"/> to assassinate the ] and other Shia religious leaders.<ref name="AP-leader-29-1-2007"/> Alleged plans called for the insurgents to disguise themselves as pilgrims and suddenly open fire, in attempts to assassinate as many leading Shiite clerics as possible<ref name="AP-leader-29-1-2007"/> and cause overall disruption of the holiday.{{Citation needed|date=September 2020}} Violent attacks have occurred in Najaf during previous Ashura festivals (see ]). | |||
| ]i forces (later assisted by ] and ] forces) and supposed ] who had, according to official sources, joined a gathering of worshippers. | |||
| The initial raid by the Iraqi security forces against suspected insurgent hideout turned into heavy fighting, with the ] almost being overwhelmed. The government forces began to retreat but were soon surrounded and pinned down. During the hours-long battle, rebel fighters captured one wounded Iraqi soldier; they treated him at the ] and sent him back to his comrades with a message saying "] is coming back." The fighting became so intense that support from U.S. and British ]s and ]<ref name="The Age">, ], 29 January 2007</ref> were called in. The ]s carried out by Special Forces operators partnered with the Iraqi Army helped break the stalemate, but not before one American ] attack helicopter was shot down, killing two U.S. soldiers.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 Cornell C. Chao{{!}} Military Times|url=https://thefallen.militarytimes.com/army-chief-warrant-officer-3-cornell-c-chao/2521498|access-date=2021-11-24|website=thefallen.militarytimes.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Mark Resh – Recipient -|url=http://valor.militarytimes.com/hero/29104|access-date=2021-11-24|website=valor.militarytimes.com|language=en}}</ref> Military Transition Team (MiTT) 0810 partnered with the Iraqi Army was first to respond to the Apache helicopter crash as the Soldiers of Heaven cult was attempting to seize the crash site.{{Citation needed|date=September 2020}} Once the crash site was secured by U.S. forces and the enemy disposition was ascertained, further support was requested.{{Citation needed|date=September 2020}} The Iraqi Army was still unable to advance, and they called for support from an Iraqi ] team in ] and U.S. motorised infantry troops. Around 1:00PM, elements of the Charlie Company 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment, part of 3rd ] Brigade Combat Team, ] were dispatched from near ].<ref name="Cavallaro-SWJ-2012">{{cite web |last1=Cavallaro |first1=Gina |title=The untold story of the battle against the 'Soldiers of Heaven' |url=https://smallwarsjournal.com/blog/the-untold-story-of-the-battle-against-the-%E2%80%98soldiers-of-heaven%E2%80%99-updated |website=Small Wars Journal |access-date=4 June 2022 |date=29 January 2012}}</ref> | |||
| ==Beginnings== | |||
| Some of the gunmen managed to break out toward ]. On 1 February, the city of Najaf was cordoned off, and subsequently Iraqi Government and U.S. forces appeared to be involved in heavy fighting, including helicopter gunship support.{{Citation needed|date=September 2020}} The opposing forces seem to be militants inside the city limits.{{Citation needed|date=February 2007}} This seemingly contradicted initial assessment that the hostile group was effectively destroyed after the battle of 28 January, but independently verified information was not available at the time. | |||
| The battle started after the ] received a tip off that a large ] force was gathering at ]. The insurgents came under the cover of ]s, planning to attack Najaf and seize it along with the rest of ] on ] ] during the ] holiday, one of the holiest days on the ] religious calendar. '']'' however has reported that those involved were in fact just a group of pilgrims who were armed because they deemed it unsafe to travel unarmed on their prilgimage given the current situation in Iraq.{{cn}} The '']'' called the group a "doomsday cult."<ref></ref> | |||
| ==Controversy== | |||
| Their plans also included killing or capturing key ] ]s including ] ], attacking Shia pilgrims and ]s, and seizing the ].{{cn}} ] and a battalion from the Iraqi 8th Army Division immediately left for Zarqa and arrived to find at least 800 insurgents dug in lines of ]s holding well-fortified positions and armed with heavy weapons, some also wearing fake Iraqi ]s.{{cn}} | |||
| Another account of the incident was presented in the newspaper articles by ],<ref name=Patrick>Patrick Cockburn, The Independent newspaper {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070202022847/http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/article2201103.ece |date=2 February 2007 }} retrieved 2 February 2007</ref> ] and ].<ref>Dahr Jamail and Ali al-Fadhily, Asia Times retrieved 2 February 2007</ref> | |||
| According to their version of events, at around 6:00AM, Hajj Sa'ad Sa'ad Nayif al-Hatemi, chief of the Hawatim Shia tribe, led a group of armed pilgrims from that tribe to a security checkpoint. Security forces killed al-Hatemi, his wife, and his driver. The pilgrims, who had walked alongside the car to the checkpoint, then attacked the security forces in retaliation. A local tribe, the Khaza'il, tried to stop the fighting but were shot at in the crossfire. Iraqi troops at the checkpoint reported ] forces were attacking and more security forces arrived in response, surrounding the Hawatim. The Hawatim tried unsuccessfully to stop the fighting at this stage. Firing continued and a U.S. helicopter was shot down. U.S. aircraft bombarded the area until early the next morning. 120 Hawatim and local residents were killed. The group led by Ahmad al-Hassani was based in the local area of the fighting and was drawn into it. They, the Hawatim and the Khaza'il, are opposed to groups that make "the core of the Baghdad government". The presence of Ahmad al-Hassani's group provided justification for a massacre of opponents to important groups in the Iraqi government. | |||
| A radical Shiite cleric, Ayatollah ], was reported on 6 February 2007, to be calling for an independent inquiry into what "many in Iraq now regard as a ']' in which scores of women and children were killed." The Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament, ], accused the government of concealing the truth about the event.<ref>Nidhal Laithi, Azzaman {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927220520/http://www.azzaman.com/english/index.asp?fname=news%2F2007-02-06%2Fkurd.htm |date=27 September 2007 }} retrieved 10 February 2007</ref> | |||
| ==Battle== | |||
| According to an article by ], substantial numbers of women and children were killed, as they lived with the fighters in Zarga (not Najaf as reported by the government) and everyone in the camp was killed in the fighting. This contradicts the official tally of casualties as "263 terrorists killed".<ref name="JPFAiI2011:160-61">]: p.160-61</ref> The LA Times reported, "More than 36 hours after the initial assault, estimates by Iraqi officials on the number of dead fighters varied from 150 to 400."<ref name=LAT-rebel-30-1-2007>{{cite news |title=Rebel Muslims longed for doomsday / 'Heaven's Army' battled near Najaf with high-tech arms |work=Los Angeles Times |date=30 January 2007 |first1=Louise |last1=Roug |first2=Saad |last2=Fakhrildeen |url=https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Rebel-Muslims-longed-for-doomsday-Heaven-s-2653223.php |access-date=2 June 2022}}</ref> | |||
| The raid turned into heavy fighting, with the ] almost being overwhelmed. The government forces began to retreat but were soon surrounded and pinned down. During the hours-long battle, rebel fighters captured one wounded Iraqi soldier; they treated him at the ] and sent him back to his comrades with a message saying "] is coming back."<ref> </ref> At one point the Iraqi forces called on the radio to say that they were running low on ammunition. | |||
| ⚫ | ==Aftermath== | ||
| The fighting became so intense that support from ] and ] ]s and ]<ref>, ], 29 January 2007</ref> were called in. The ]s helped break the stalemate, but not before one American attack helicopter was shot down, killing two ]. However, the Iraqi Army was still unable to advance, and they called in support from both an ] Iraqi unit known as the ], which is based to the north in ], and American ground troops. Around noon, elements of the American ], ], were dispatched from near ]. | |||
| ⚫ | At least six Iraqi policemen, five Iraqi soldiers, and two American soldiers died as a result of the conflict. Another 15 policemen and 15 soldiers were wounded; among them was Najaf's ]. Another Iraqi military official put the death toll for Iraqi security forces at 25.<ref>, International Herald Tribune, 30 January 2007</ref> U.S. and Iraqi troops killed 400 and captured 406 rebels in the fierce fighting around the city.<ref>, ], 30 January 2007</ref> The majority of the fighters were Iraqi, but ] ] stated that the group included 30 ]s and ]s and one ]ese fighter. Shi'ite political sources said the gunmen appeared to be both ]s and Shi'ites loyal to a ] cleric called Ahmed Ismail Katte,<ref>, ], 28 January 2007</ref> and linked to the militant group ].<ref> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120205134257/http://www.focus-fen.net/index.php?id=n103114 |date=5 February 2012 }}, , 12 January 2007</ref> The Iraqi army said it captured some 500 ]s in addition to ]s, at least 40 ]s, and even some Russian-made ] rockets and ]s. | ||
| Information recovered from dead and captured fighters indicate they belonged to a renegade Shi'ite group which called themselves the ] (''Jund al-Samaa'') and have been described as an ] ].<ref name="The Age"/> The cult leader, Ahmed Ismail Katte, who claimed to be the ], a ] – in Shia ].<ref name=Tol-messiah-29-1-2007>, Times Online UK, 29 January 2007</ref> Iraqi officials said that the militant leader, Ahmed Ismail Katte, was a Sunni from a Sunni stronghold of ] near Basra in the south. He represented himself as ] (a Shia name) to win over support for his cause. He was identified as a deputy to the cult leader ], who was believed to be a former security officer from the old regime. Their actual names and identities were also questioned.<ref name="nytimes.com"/> Another report (Associated Press) said Maj. Gen. Othman al-Ghanemi, "the Iraqi commander in charge of the Najaf region" claimed cult leader ] "died in the battle".<ref name="AP-leader-29-1-2007">{{cite news |title=Iraqi army says it killed leader of messianic cult |url=https://www.denverpost.com/2007/01/29/iraqi-army-says-it-killed-leader-of-messianic-cult/ |access-date=4 June 2022 |agency=THE ASSOCIATED PRESS |date=29 January 2007}}</ref> | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| The U.S. military has referred to them only as gunmen, not insurgents or terrorists. Dia Abdul-Zahra was killed in the fighting while the whereabouts of Ahmed Hassani al-Yamani were not known. | |||
| ⚫ | ==Aftermath== | ||
| The Iraqi authorities may also have exaggerated their own military success. The signs are that they underestimated the strength of the Soldiers of Heaven and had to call for urgent American ].<ref>, ], 31 January 2007</ref> One U.S. adviser to Iraqi security forces cautioned against exaggerated casualty reports from the Iraqi government, saying, "There are rumors everywhere, the whole situation is so bizarre."{{Citation needed|date=December 2007}} The adviser also questioned how the Soldiers of Heaven force had grown and remained undetected until this conflict. Iraqi officials say the group's stronghold included tunnels, ]es and blockades. The same location was also reported to include a swimming pool, air conditioned beauty salon, car-bomb making workshop and a car dismantling workshop and was described as a "compound".<ref>Richard Mauer and Robert H. Reid, Victoria Advocate {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070305115505/http://www.thevictoriaadvocate.com/428/story/22836.html |date=5 March 2007 }} retrieved 2 February 2007</ref> A neighbor said the residents had a history of "criminal activity, including car theft." | |||
| Information recovered from dead and captured fighters indicate they belonged to a renegade Shi'ite group which called themselves the ] (Jund al-Samaa) and have been described as an ] ].<ref>, ], 29 January 2007</ref> <ref name="LAT">, ], Retrieved on the ] ] </ref> The cult leader, ], who claimed to be the ], a ] or ]-like figure in ],<ref>, Times Online UK, 29 January 2007</ref> was also reported to be killed. The U.S. military has referred to them only as gunmen. The soldiers were sweeping the area during the whole night, but some of the insurgents managed to break out toward ]. | |||
| After the battle, Iraqi police rounded up hundreds of sect members and put them on trial. On 2 September 2007, the criminal court passed judgement on 458 accused. Ten leaders of the Soldiers of Heaven were ], 54 members were released, and the rest were sentenced to jail terms ranging from 15 years to life, Najaf police chief ] ] said.<ref>{{cite news |title=10 Iraqi cult members sentenced to death |agency=Middle East Times |date=2 September 2007 }}</ref> | |||
| Six Iraqi policemen and five soldiers had died in the fighting along with the two American soldiers. Another 15 policemen and 15 soldiers were wounded; among them was the Najaf's ]. The Iraqi army said it captured some 500 ]s in addition to ]s, at least 40 ]s, ]n-made ] rockets and even some ]s. Another Iraqi military official put the death toll for Iraqi security forces to at least 25.<ref>, International Herald Tribune, 30 January 2007</ref> | |||
| ⚫ | ==References== | ||
| The authorities may also have exaggerated their own military success. The signs are that they underestimated the strength of the Soldiers of Heaven and had to call for urgent American ].<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6313433.stm</ref> One U.S. advisor to Iraqi security forces cautioned against exaggerated casualty reports from the Iraqi government, saying that it was much too early to establish accurate figures.<ref name="LAT"/> | |||
| ⚫ | {{Wikinews|US and Iraqi forces kill 250 militants in Najaf fighting}} | ||
| {{Reflist}} | |||
| == |
===Books=== | ||
| *{{cite book |last = Filiu |first = Jean-Pierre |translator-last = DeBevoise |translator-first = M. B. |title = Apocalypse in Islam |url = https://archive.org/details/apocalypseinisla0852fili_W3CSK |year = 2011 |publisher = University of California Press |location = Berkeley |isbn = 978-0-520-26431-1 |ref=JPFAiI2011}} | |||
| == External links == | |||
| On ] ], the cult, whose leader was reported to have been involved in fighting, said it played no part in the battle. They said theirs was a peaceful movement not linked to the "Soldiers of Heaven" who fought the day-long battle.{{cn}} Conflicting accounts from Iraqi political and security sources have thickened the ], making it difficult to determine exactly whom the Iraqi and U.S. soldiers fought. A suggestion has been made that the "insurgents" were a Shi'a tribe from the south of the country, who were armed due to the fact they were travelling by night and somehow got embroiled in a battle with Iraqi security forces at a checkpoint. () | |||
| * | |||
| * {{dead link|date=October 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} | |||
| {{Iraq War}} | |||
| The site of the fighting, in which some women and children were also killed{{fact}}, has been sealed off and wounded survivors are in hospital under guard, with reporters being kept away.{{cn}} Iraqi security officials said that a man calling himself ] and styling himself the Mahdi, had been killed in the fighting but that the whereabouts of his "messenger" ] was not known.<ref>, Reuters UK, 30 January 2007</ref> | |||
| {{Coord missing|Iraq}} | |||
| ⚫ | {{Wikinews|US and Iraqi forces kill 250 militants in Najaf fighting}} | ||
| ⚫ | ==References== | ||
| {{reflist}} | |||
| {{DEFAULTSORT:Najaf, Battle of}} | |||
| ⚫ | ] | ||
| ] | ] | ||
| ] | ] | ||
| ] | ] | ||
| ] | ] | ||
| ] | |||
| ⚫ | ] | ||
| ] | |||
Latest revision as of 01:45, 26 November 2024
2007 battle between Shia cult members and Iraqi security forces were over 250 were killed
| Battle of Najaf (2007) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Iraq War, Iraqi insurgency | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Iraq United States United Kingdom | Soldiers of Heaven, possibly Iraqi tribesmen | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
|
Michael Garrett Barry F. Huggins Othman al-Ghanmi | Dia Abdul-Zahra † | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 800 | 1,000 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
|
11–25 killed 2 killed 1 AH-64 shot down | 263 killed, 407 captured (actual count by US Forces conducting detainee operations post battle) | ||||||
The Battle of Najaf took place on 28 January 2007 at Zarqa (also spelled Zarga) near Najaf, Iraq, between Iraqi Security Forces (later assisted by U.S. and UK forces) and fighters, initially thought to be Sunni insurgents but later reported to be members of the Shia Islam cult Soldiers of Heaven, who had joined a gathering of worshippers – or, by other accounts, a conflict, originally between an Iraqi government forces checkpoint and 200 armed pilgrims, which then expanded to include local residents, the Soldiers of Heaven group, and UK and U.S. forces. Reportedly, over 250 cult members and 11-25 members of the Iraqi security forces, and two U.S. soldiers were killed.
Iraqi official account
 | This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (September 2020) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
In the lead-up to the Day of Ashura, which involves large numbers of pilgrims travelling, some to Najaf, for Shiite festivals, the Iraqi officials claimed to have discovered a plot by "a heavily armed cult" to assassinate the Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani and other Shia religious leaders. Alleged plans called for the insurgents to disguise themselves as pilgrims and suddenly open fire, in attempts to assassinate as many leading Shiite clerics as possible and cause overall disruption of the holiday. Violent attacks have occurred in Najaf during previous Ashura festivals (see Ashura massacre).
The initial raid by the Iraqi security forces against suspected insurgent hideout turned into heavy fighting, with the Iraqi Army almost being overwhelmed. The government forces began to retreat but were soon surrounded and pinned down. During the hours-long battle, rebel fighters captured one wounded Iraqi soldier; they treated him at the compound and sent him back to his comrades with a message saying "the imam is coming back." The fighting became so intense that support from U.S. and British attack helicopters and F-16 fighter jets were called in. The airstrikes carried out by Special Forces operators partnered with the Iraqi Army helped break the stalemate, but not before one American AH-64 attack helicopter was shot down, killing two U.S. soldiers. Military Transition Team (MiTT) 0810 partnered with the Iraqi Army was first to respond to the Apache helicopter crash as the Soldiers of Heaven cult was attempting to seize the crash site. Once the crash site was secured by U.S. forces and the enemy disposition was ascertained, further support was requested. The Iraqi Army was still unable to advance, and they called for support from an Iraqi SWAT team in Hillah and U.S. motorised infantry troops. Around 1:00PM, elements of the Charlie Company 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment, part of 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division were dispatched from near Baghdad.
Some of the gunmen managed to break out toward Karbala. On 1 February, the city of Najaf was cordoned off, and subsequently Iraqi Government and U.S. forces appeared to be involved in heavy fighting, including helicopter gunship support. The opposing forces seem to be militants inside the city limits. This seemingly contradicted initial assessment that the hostile group was effectively destroyed after the battle of 28 January, but independently verified information was not available at the time.
Controversy
Another account of the incident was presented in the newspaper articles by Patrick Cockburn, Dahr Jamail and Ali al-Fadhily. According to their version of events, at around 6:00AM, Hajj Sa'ad Sa'ad Nayif al-Hatemi, chief of the Hawatim Shia tribe, led a group of armed pilgrims from that tribe to a security checkpoint. Security forces killed al-Hatemi, his wife, and his driver. The pilgrims, who had walked alongside the car to the checkpoint, then attacked the security forces in retaliation. A local tribe, the Khaza'il, tried to stop the fighting but were shot at in the crossfire. Iraqi troops at the checkpoint reported al-Qaeda forces were attacking and more security forces arrived in response, surrounding the Hawatim. The Hawatim tried unsuccessfully to stop the fighting at this stage. Firing continued and a U.S. helicopter was shot down. U.S. aircraft bombarded the area until early the next morning. 120 Hawatim and local residents were killed. The group led by Ahmad al-Hassani was based in the local area of the fighting and was drawn into it. They, the Hawatim and the Khaza'il, are opposed to groups that make "the core of the Baghdad government". The presence of Ahmad al-Hassani's group provided justification for a massacre of opponents to important groups in the Iraqi government.
A radical Shiite cleric, Ayatollah Mahmud al-Hasani al-Sarkhi, was reported on 6 February 2007, to be calling for an independent inquiry into what "many in Iraq now regard as a 'massacre' in which scores of women and children were killed." The Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament, Mahmoud al-Mashhadani, accused the government of concealing the truth about the event.
According to an article by Jean-Pierre Filiu, substantial numbers of women and children were killed, as they lived with the fighters in Zarga (not Najaf as reported by the government) and everyone in the camp was killed in the fighting. This contradicts the official tally of casualties as "263 terrorists killed". The LA Times reported, "More than 36 hours after the initial assault, estimates by Iraqi officials on the number of dead fighters varied from 150 to 400."
Aftermath
At least six Iraqi policemen, five Iraqi soldiers, and two American soldiers died as a result of the conflict. Another 15 policemen and 15 soldiers were wounded; among them was Najaf's police chief. Another Iraqi military official put the death toll for Iraqi security forces at 25. U.S. and Iraqi troops killed 400 and captured 406 rebels in the fierce fighting around the city. The majority of the fighters were Iraqi, but Brigadier General Fadhil Barwari stated that the group included 30 Afghans and Saudis and one Sudanese fighter. Shi'ite political sources said the gunmen appeared to be both Sunnis and Shi'ites loyal to a heretical cleric called Ahmed Ismail Katte, and linked to the militant group Ansar al-Sunna. The Iraqi army said it captured some 500 automatic rifles in addition to mortars, at least 40 machine guns, and even some Russian-made Katyusha rockets and anti-aircraft missiles.
Information recovered from dead and captured fighters indicate they belonged to a renegade Shi'ite group which called themselves the Soldiers of Heaven (Jund al-Samaa) and have been described as an apocalyptic religious cult. The cult leader, Ahmed Ismail Katte, who claimed to be the Mahdi, a messiah – in Shia Islam. Iraqi officials said that the militant leader, Ahmed Ismail Katte, was a Sunni from a Sunni stronghold of Zubayr near Basra in the south. He represented himself as Ahmed Hassan al-Yamani (a Shia name) to win over support for his cause. He was identified as a deputy to the cult leader Dia Abdul Zahra Kadim, who was believed to be a former security officer from the old regime. Their actual names and identities were also questioned. Another report (Associated Press) said Maj. Gen. Othman al-Ghanemi, "the Iraqi commander in charge of the Najaf region" claimed cult leader Dia Abdul Zahra Kadim "died in the battle".
The U.S. military has referred to them only as gunmen, not insurgents or terrorists. Dia Abdul-Zahra was killed in the fighting while the whereabouts of Ahmed Hassani al-Yamani were not known.
The Iraqi authorities may also have exaggerated their own military success. The signs are that they underestimated the strength of the Soldiers of Heaven and had to call for urgent American air support. One U.S. adviser to Iraqi security forces cautioned against exaggerated casualty reports from the Iraqi government, saying, "There are rumors everywhere, the whole situation is so bizarre." The adviser also questioned how the Soldiers of Heaven force had grown and remained undetected until this conflict. Iraqi officials say the group's stronghold included tunnels, trenches and blockades. The same location was also reported to include a swimming pool, air conditioned beauty salon, car-bomb making workshop and a car dismantling workshop and was described as a "compound". A neighbor said the residents had a history of "criminal activity, including car theft."
After the battle, Iraqi police rounded up hundreds of sect members and put them on trial. On 2 September 2007, the criminal court passed judgement on 458 accused. Ten leaders of the Soldiers of Heaven were sentenced to death, 54 members were released, and the rest were sentenced to jail terms ranging from 15 years to life, Najaf police chief Brigadier General Abdel Karim Mustapha said.
References
- ^ Mystery Arises Over Identity of Militia Chief in Najaf Fight, The New York Times, 1 February 2007
- ^ "Iraqi army says it killed leader of messianic cult". THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. 29 January 2007. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
- ^ "US-Iraqi Forces Kill 250 Militants in Najaf", The Age, 29 January 2007
- "Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 Cornell C. Chao| Military Times". thefallen.militarytimes.com. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
- "Mark Resh – Recipient -". valor.militarytimes.com. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
- Cavallaro, Gina (29 January 2012). "The untold story of the battle against the 'Soldiers of Heaven'". Small Wars Journal. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
- Patrick Cockburn, The Independent newspaper US 'victory' against cult leader was 'massacre'. 31 January 2007 Archived 2 February 2007 at the Wayback Machine retrieved 2 February 2007
- Dahr Jamail and Ali al-Fadhily, Asia Times Pilgrims massacred in the 'battle' of Najaf. 2 February 2007 retrieved 2 February 2007
- Nidhal Laithi, Azzaman The Najaf 'massacre' divides country. 6 February 2007 Archived 27 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine retrieved 10 February 2007
- Filiu, Apocalypse in Islam, 2011: p.160-61
- Roug, Louise; Fakhrildeen, Saad (30 January 2007). "Rebel Muslims longed for doomsday / 'Heaven's Army' battled near Najaf with high-tech arms". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
- Fierce militia fighters catch Iraqi Army by surprise, International Herald Tribune, 30 January 2007
- "FACTBOX-Security developments in Iraq, 30 January", Reuters, 30 January 2007
- "US and Iraqi forces kill 250 militants in Najaf", Ynetnews, 28 January 2007
- "Iraqi Insurgents See US President's Plan Through Cynicism" Archived 5 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine, Focus Information Agency, 12 January 2007
- Iraqi cult and its 'messiah' destroyed near Najaf, Times Online UK, 29 January 2007
- Confusion surrounds Najaf Battle, The Times, 31 January 2007
- Richard Mauer and Robert H. Reid, Victoria Advocate Mystery surrounds battle with Iraqi cult. 31 January 2007 Archived 5 March 2007 at the Wayback Machine retrieved 2 February 2007
- "10 Iraqi cult members sentenced to death". Middle East Times. 2 September 2007.
Books
- Filiu, Jean-Pierre (2011). Apocalypse in Islam. Translated by DeBevoise, M. B. Berkeley: University of California Press. ISBN 978-0-520-26431-1.
External links
- Healing Iraq blog: Map of Najaf and Zarga
- Four 5th Special Forces soldiers honored with Army's Silver Star
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