Saraya al-Salam

Saraya al-Salam
Founding leaderMuqtada al-Sadr
Foundation2014
Dates of operation2014–2021 (as a Popular Mobilization Forces branch)

2021–2022 (as a semi-governmental political initiative)

2022–today (as a suspended de facto political group)[8][9]
CountryIraq
 Syria[10]
Allegiance Iraq
IdeologyShia Islamism
Iraqi nationalism
Sadrism
Size10,000–50,000 (2014, independent claims)[11][12]
Part of
AlliesOther Shia militias (de jure)
None (de facto)[13]
Opponents Islamic State
Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq (2022)[14]
Battles and warsIraq–ISIL War ISIL insurgency in Iraq (2017–present)
Flag
Flag of Iraq, used by the group along with the dove.[7]

Saraya al-Salam (Arabic: سرايا السلام)[17][18] is an Iraqi Shia militia formed in 2014. They are a part of the Popular Mobilization Forces and are a partial revival of the Mahdi Army. The name Saraya al-Salam means "Peace Brigades", to signify this the militia also uses a dove as a heraldic symbol. The group's name, together with its logo – which features a dove flying in front of an Iraqi flag – reflects Sadr's effort to maintain a peace with both Sunnis and the Iraqi central government.[7] As of 2022, the group's operations are frozen, although it is still active but in smaller scale.

  1. ^ Bach, Marc; Müller, Alexander. "Internationale Nachrichten aus aller Welt". tagesschau.de (in German). Archived from the original on 20 Oct 2019. The white dove refers to the militia of the Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, Seraya al-Salam ("peace army"). Today it is an official part of the Iraqi Army of Iraqi Armed Forces, without being entirely under control of the Iraqi government.
  2. ^ "Samarra For UNESCO World Heritage Travellers". www.worldheritagesite.org. Retrieved 27 December 2023. The population is predominantly Sunni, but the law enforcement is provided by a Sadrist Shi'ite militia (Saraya al-Salam – their emblem, the peace dove is ubiquitous on grafitties in the city).
  3. ^ Nada, Garett; Rowan, Mattison (10 November 2021). "Profiles: Pro-Iran Militias in Iraq | The Iran Primer". iranprimer.usip.org. Retrieved 27 December 2023. The militia's logo features a dove as well as a fighter holding an Iraqi flag and a rifle.
  4. ^ Rubin, Alissa J. (9 July 2014). "On the Road to Samarra, Glimpses of Iraq's New Fractured Reality". The New York Times. Retrieved 27 December 2023. flies the flag of a new militia formed by the radical Shiite cleric Moktada al-Sadr, bearing a dove and his likeness.
  5. ^ El-Ghobashy, Tamer (5 July 2018). "Public enemy or savior? An Iraqi city could reveal the true Moqtada al-Sadr". Washington Post. Retrieved 27 December 2023. logo of the Peace Brigades, a silhouetted fighter triumphantly holding an Iraqi flag, a rifle slung over his shoulder, next to a white dove in flight and the motto: "We bow to no one but God."
  6. ^ "'Salam 313': Sadr's motorbike militia gains foothold in Europe". FRB-I. A backpatch of a freestanding dove is worn proudly by gang members. Their chosen insignia is borrowed from Sarayat al Salam, the Peace Brigade militia firebrand cleric Muqtada al Sadr commands.
  7. ^ a b c "The Militarization of Iraqi Politics" (PDF). Masarat (17): 12. 18 March 2015. Retrieved 27 December 2023. The group's name, together with its logo – which features a dove flying in front of an Iraqi flag – reflects Sadr's effort to distance this new iteration from the Mahdi Army's tradition of brutal violence against both Sunnis and the Iraqi central government.
  8. ^ "Sadr suspends all armed factions, including Peace Brigades". The Arab Weekly.
  9. ^ Aug. 30, A. supporter of Shiite Muslim cleric Muqtada al-Sadr rolls a mattress as an encampment in Baghdad's high-security Green Zone is dismantled on (30 August 2022). "Protesters withdraw from Baghdad's Green Zone – Al-Monitor: Independent, trusted coverage of the Middle East". www.al-monitor.com.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  10. ^ "Iraqi Shi'ite militants start to acknowledge role in Syria". Reuters. 10 April 2013. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
  11. ^ "Iraqi Shia groups rally in show of power". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 21 January 2015.[permanent dead link‍]
  12. ^ "Iraq crisis: Isis allies 'turn on jihadists' as 17 killed in clashes near Kirkuk". Telegraph. 21 June 2014. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  13. ^ Cite error: The named reference shiagroups was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  14. ^ "Iraq: Heightened security reported in Amil District, Baghdad, following armed clashes in area late Dec. 25". Iraq: Heightened security reported in Amil District, Baghdad, following armed clashes in area late Dec. 25 | Crisis24.
  15. ^ "Video shows burning village near Tikrit : "Shiite militias wanted revenge"". The Observers. Archived from the original on 17 March 2015. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
  16. ^ "Iraqi forces pause in battle to drive Islamic State from Tikrit". Reuters. 13 March 2015. Archived from the original on 28 September 2015. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
  17. ^ Daniel Cassman. "Mahdi Army". Retrieved 10 April 2015.
  18. ^ "Shia paramilitary 'Peace Brigades' kill 30 ISIS fighters says Akili – Iraqi News". Iraq news, the latest Iraq news. 4 September 2014. Retrieved 10 April 2015.