The Promised Day Brigade (PDB; ), originally called the Muqawimun (, "Resisters"), was a

Shiite Shia Islam is the second-largest branch of Islam. It holds that Muhammad designated Ali ibn Abi Talib () as both his political successor (caliph) and as the spiritual leader of the Muslim community (imam). However, his right is understood ...

organization and insurgent group operating during the

Iraq War The Iraq War (), also referred to as the Second Gulf War, was a prolonged conflict in Iraq lasting from 2003 to 2011. It began with 2003 invasion of Iraq, the invasion by a Multi-National Force – Iraq, United States-led coalition, which ...

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. The group was created as successor to

Muqtada al-Sadr Muqtada al-Sadr (; born 4 August 1974) is an Iraqi Shia Muslim cleric, politician and militia leader. He inherited the leadership of the Sadrist Movement from his father, and founded the now dissolved Mahdi Army militia in 2003 that resisted ...

Mahdi Army The Mahdi Army () was an Iraqi Shia militia created by Muqtada al-Sadr in June 2003 and disbanded in 2008. The Mahdi Army rose to international prominence on April 4, 2004, when it spearheaded the first major armed confrontation against the ...

, 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. Its activities had particularly increased since May 2009. The group's name is in reference to an alternate term for the Islamic Day of Judgment. 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. On November 29, 2009, the group's leader in

Basra Basra () is a port city in Iraq, southern Iraq. It is the capital of the eponymous Basra Governorate, as well as the List of largest cities of Iraq, third largest city in Iraq overall, behind Baghdad and Mosul. Located near the Iran–Iraq bor ...

was arrested in

al-Amarah Amarah (), also spelled Amara, is a city in south-eastern Iraq, located on a low ridge next to the Tigris River waterway south of Baghdad about 50 km (31 mi) from the Iran–Iraq border, border with Iran. It lies at the northern tip of the ...

. 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 had been the most powerful Special Group in the ex-Mahdi Army stronghold of Sadr City and had increased its activity there. On July 21, 2010, General Ray Odierno said Iran supports three Shiite groups in Iraq that had attempted to attack US bases: US officials believe that of these three groups, the Promised Day Brigades poses the greatest threat to Iraq's long-term security. # the Promised Day Brigades # Kata'ib Hezbollah (Hezbollah Brigades) # Asaib Ahl al-Haq (League of the Righteous)

References

{{Militant Islamism Arab militant groups Anti-ISIL factions in Iraq Anti-ISIL factions in Syria Factions in the Iraq War Iraqi insurgency (2003–2011) Paramilitary forces of Iraq Pro-Assad factions of the Syrian civil war Rebel groups in Iraq Resistance movements Shia organizations Shia Islam in Iraq Sadr City Organizations designated as terrorist by the United Arab Emirates Organizations based in Asia designated as terrorist Jihadist groups in Iraq Axis of Resistance Iran in the Iraq War

See also

References