SADRIST-BADR CORPS CLASH UPDATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 003480

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/25/2025
TAGS: PGOV PINS IZ
SUBJECT: SADRIST-BADR CORPS CLASH UPDATE

Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR ROBERT FORD FOR REASONS
1.4 (B) AND (D).


1. (SBU) Post has heard no further reports of Sadrist-Badr
Corps violence since the August 24 clashes between the two
groups in South and South Central Iraq, as well as Sadr City.
The August 24 confrontation began after Sadrists blamed Badr
Corps for an apparent arson-caused fire at the building that
formerly housed Muqtada al Sadr's office in Najaf.


2. (SBU) At approximately 1200 hrs on August 25, Muqtada al
Sadr held a press conference in which he told his followers
to lay down their weapons and eschew violence. He then
called on SCIRI leader Abdul Aziz al Hakim to make a similar
public statement to his followers. PolOff contacted the
SCIRI chief of staff, Haitham al Husseini, and told him that
a statement from Hakim urging calm would be in the interest
of all factions. Haitham agreed, and said he would encourage
Hakim to act accordingly. (NOTE: We have heard unconfirmed
reports that both Hakim and Sadr have made subsequent
conciliatory statements. We further understand that the
Sadrist Minister of Transportation who announced suspension
of his participation in the government August 24 has
indicated that he will now return to work.)


3. (C) Sadrist representatives Bara al-Araji and Kusai Abdul
Wahib suggested to PolOff that Badr Corps may have instigated
the violence for one or more of the following reasons: (a)
counter Muqtada's "increasing" popularity, (b) wreck the
constitution process, and (c) provoke Sadrist violence to
which Coalition forces would feel compelled to respond.
PolOff replied by pressing the Sadrists to urge their
followers to avoid confrontation, as violence would only
undermine progress on the constitution.


4. (C) Minister of Interior Bayan Jabr has sent BG Mohammed,
the SCIRI-linked commander of the "Wolf Brigade," to Najaf to
assess the situation. MOI sources claim that the Minister
has discussed the events with Grand Ayatollah Sistani, as
well as with Prime Minister Ja'fari. Given uncertainty over
further developments, Jabr has reportedly canceled a
scheduled visit to Amman to meet the Jordanian Prime Minister
and Minister of the Interior.
Khalilzad