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Awakening movements in Iraq
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| Awakening groups |
| Participant in the Iraq War |
| Active |
2005-present |
| Leaders |
Sheik Abdul Sattar Buzaigh al-Rishawi (assassinated)
Sheikh Ali Hatem Ali Sulaiman
Sheikh Abdul-Jabbar Abu Risha
Sheikhs of Al-Bu Nimr
Sheiks of Al-Bu Issa |
| Headquarters |
N/A |
| Strength |
65,000-80,000 in December 2007[1] |
| Opponents |
Al Qaeda in Iraq
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| Battles/wars |
Iraq War |
Awakening movements in Iraq are coalitions between tribal Sheikhs in a particular province in Iraq that unite to ensure security. The movement started among Sunni tribes in Anbar Province to become an ad-hoc armed force across the country in less than a year.[1] The rapid growth of the US-funded groups has led to concerns about some of their members' insurgent pasts fighting against coalition forces.[1] Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has feared the US-armed 'concerned local citizens' are an armed Sunni opposition in the making, and has argued that such groups should be under the command of the Iraqi Army or police.[2]
The Iraqi Defense Ministry has said that it plans to disband the Awakening groups so they do not become a separate military force.[3] The Iraqi government plans to absorb approximately 25% of the Awakening groups in to security service or the military, but analysts fear what will happen to the remaining 75% of them. Some experts warn there are similarities between the awakening councils and armed groups in past conflicts that were used for short-term military gains but ended up being roadblocks for state building.[4]
Also Known As
As of early 2008, Awakening movements in Iraq are also commonly referred to as:
- "Concerned Local Citizens" - CLC (U.S. Military) / "Sons of Iraq" - SOIZ (U.S. Military, Iraqi government)[5]
- "Mercenaries" (Maliki aide,[6] al-Qa'eda[7])
- "Sahwa" militia[8]
History
In 2005, the Abu Mahals, a tribe that smuggled across the Syrian border, was being forced out of their territory by a tribe allied with Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia. The tribe proposed an alliance with the United States force in November 2005 and began receiving weapons and training.[9][1] In 2007 the leader of the movement, Sheik Abdul Sattar Buzaigh al-Rishawi, formed the Anbar Awakening Council also called "Anbar Awakening" to counter the influence of Al-Qaeda in Iraq.[9]
Sheik Abdul Sattar Buzaigh al-Rishawi was assassinated by a suicide bombing in September 2007.[10] His brother, Abdul-Jabbar Abu Risha, took over as leader, but so far has been unable to unite the various awakening militias.[1]
Work in Iraq
The groups are paid by the American military to patrol neighborhoods and to fight against other Sunni insurgents.[1] The US military says the groups help it target Al-Qaeda in Iraq more precisely and avoid collateral damage.[11] The Washington Post writes the awakening groups have caused al-Qaeda in Iraq to soften its tactics in an effort to regain public support.[11]
Al-Qaeda in Iraq has condemned the groups for fighting insurgents and for standing by the “filthy crusaders”.[12] Some members of the awakening groups are former insurgents, and some awakening members have been killed by former awakening members in suicide bombings.[12] Sheiks who work with the awakening movement also frequently face killings which originate from outside the movement.[13]
The Government Accountability Office, the audit arm of the United States Congress, has warned that the groups have still "not reconciled with the Iraqi government" and that the potential remains for further infiltration by insurgents.[14]
Disbanding
The Iraqi Defense Ministry has said that it plans to disband the Awakening groups so they do not become a separate military force. "We completely, absolutely reject the Awakening becoming a third military organization," Iraqi Defense Minister Abdul-Qadir al-Obaidi said. Al-Obaidi said the groups also wouldn't be allowed to have any infrastructure, such as a headquarters building, that would give them long-term legitimacy.[3]
The Iraqi government has pledged to absorb about a quarter of the men into the Shiite dominated military and security services, and to provide vocational training to the rest of the members of the Awakening groups. The Iraqi Interior Ministry has agreed to hire about 7,000 men on temporary contracts and plans to hire an additional 3,000; however, the ministry hasn't specified the contract length or specific positions for the men to fill.[3] Deborah D. Avant, director of international studies at the University of California-Irvine, said there are ominous similarities between the awakening councils and armed groups in past conflicts that were used for short-term military gains but ended up being roadblocks for state building.[4]
According to Ramzy Mardini, an Iraq expert at The Jamestown Foundation, "the rise of the Awakening councils may risk reigniting the Jaysh al-Mahdi". On February 22, 2008, Muqtada al-Sadr announced that he will extend his ceasefire on his Jaysh al-Mahdi militia.[15] But according to Mardini, the uncertainty facing the Awakening movement's status may cut that ceasefire short. Mardini suggests that if the movement's demands are not satisfied by Iraq's central government, the U.S. 'surge' strategy is at risk for failing, "even to the point of reverting back to pre-surge status". Those demands include that Awakening fighters be incorporated into Iraq's security forces, having permanent positions and payrolls.[15]
See also
References
External links
- *Ahmed, Farook. "Backgrounder #23: Sons of Iraq and Awakening Forces." Institute for the Study of War. 2/21/2008.
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