Promised Day Brigade

Promised Day Brigade
LeadersMuqtada al-Sadr
Dates of operationNovember 2008 – June 2014
HeadquartersSadr City, Baghdad
Active regionsIraq and Syria
Size15,000 (2008)[1] 5,000 (2011)[2]
Part of Special Groups
Allies Syria

 Iran
Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq
Kata'ib Hezbollah

Other Special Groups
Opponents United States-Iraq
MNF–I
Syria Free Syrian Army
Islamic State Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
Battles and warsIraq War
Syrian Civil War
Designated as a terrorist group by United Arab Emirates[3]
Preceded by
Mahdi Army
Succeeded by
Saraya al-Salam

The Promised Day Brigade (abbreviated PDB; Arabic: لواء اليوم الموعود, romanized: Liwāʾ al-Yawm al-Mawʿūd), originally called the Muqawimun (Arabic: المقاومون, romanized: al-Muqāwimūn, "Resisters"),[4] was a Shiite organization and insurgent group operating during the Iraq War and later the Syrian Civil War. In 2010, it was one of the largest and most powerful "Special Groups" (an American term for Iranian-backed Shiite paramilitary groups in Iraq).[5]

The group was created as successor to Muqtada al-Sadr's Mahdi Army, which was Iraq's largest Shiite militant group until its disbanding in 2008, he also called on other Special Groups to join the brigade. 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 Brigade.[6] Its activities have particularly increased since May 2009.[4] The group's name is in reference to an alternate term for the Islamic Day of Judgment.[7] In 2013, the US military alleged that the group was receiving Iranian support. A crackdown against the group, in the end 2009, led to the arrest of 18 of its members including several commanders.[8] On November 29, 2009, the group's leader in Basra was arrested in al-Amarah.[9]

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.[10]

On July 21, 2010, General Ray Odierno said Iran supports three Shiite groups in Iraq that had attempted to attack US bases:[11] 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. Kata'ib Hezbollah (Hezbollah Brigades)
  3. Asaib Ahl al-Haq (League of the Righteous)
  1. ^ Daniel Cassman. "Mahdi Army". Retrieved November 7, 2014.
  2. ^ a b "US officials name 3 Iraqi militias armed by Iran to kill Yanks". Retrieved November 7, 2014.
  3. ^ "مجلس الوزراء يعتمد قائمة التنظيمات الإرهابية. | Wam". www.wam.ae. Archived from the original on November 17, 2014. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  4. ^ a b "Page 29" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 3, 2016. Retrieved March 14, 2011.
  5. ^ Londoño, 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.
  6. ^ "Iraq's 'Promised Day Brigade' - the reforming of the Shiite Militia - War in Iraq - Zimbio". Archived from the original on January 19, 2012. Retrieved February 7, 2010.
  7. ^ "Horrors of the Promised Day | Hadithaday.org". Archived from the original on July 3, 2018. Retrieved July 2, 2018.
  8. ^ http://www.defenddemocracy.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=11787517&Itemid=361[permanent dead link]
  9. ^ "Suspected armed group leader arrested in Missan". Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved November 7, 2014.
  10. ^ "Can Iraq's Sadrists prove their nationalist credentials?". openDemocracy. Archived from the original on October 15, 2015. Retrieved November 7, 2014.
  11. ^ "AFP: Iran supports three insurgent groups in Iraq: US general". Archived from the original on July 24, 2010. Retrieved November 12, 2016.