BANI MALIK TRIBE STRIKES MILITIAS

C O N F I D E N T I A L BASRAH 000069

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 8/13/2017
TAGS: PINR IZ
SUBJECT: BANI MALIK TRIBE STRIKES MILITIAS

CLASSIFIED BY: Louis L. Bono, Director, Basrah Regional Embassy
Office, Department of State.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)




1. (C) SUMMARY: The Bani Malik tribe demonstrated they were a
force to be reckoned with August 10, following the murder of the
tribal leader's son. The Bani Malik assumed Badr Corps was
responsible and attacked a Badr office, killing one Badr member.
The tribe also attacked the offices of several other political
parties. Basrah security commander General Mohan Hafith Fahad
negotiated a truce after it was determined that a rival tribe
was behind the murder and before Badr responded. End Summary.


2. (C) On August 10, the al-Furayjat tribe assassinated the son
of the Bani Malik tribal sheikh in the al-Qurnah District of
Basrah Province. (Note: the Bani Malik are located predominately
to the west and north of Basrah and are one of the province's
larger tribes. End note.) Because the Bani Malik was closely
associated with the Saddam regime, they believed that Badr
Corps, a former opposition group, conducted the assassination.
According to our sources, the Bani Malik and Badr Corps have
been in confrontations before.


3. (U) Enraged by the death, the Bani Malik closed off traffic
to Basrah from the north, attacked a Badr Corps office, killing
one Badr member, wounding seven others, and setting the office
on fire. The Bani Malik also attacked the offices of Fadillah,
Iraqi Hizbollah, Office of the Martyr Sadr, and the Islamic
Supreme Council of Iraq.


4. (C) On August 12, a large contingent of Badr militiamen from
Nasiriyah planned to attack the Bani Malik. According to a
local security official, he and Security Commander General Mohan
informed the Bani Malik that the al-Furayjat was responsible for
the murder, not Badr Corps, and negotiated a temporary ceasefire
among the parties. (Note: Mohan is a member of the Bani Malik.
End note.)


5. (C) Comment: While the Bani Malik's reaction was rash and
ill-informed, this episode illustrates that they possess the
willingness and confidence to use force en masse in defense of
their tribal interests. The attack against multiple political
party offices, and not Badr alone, sent a clear message to all
of Basrah's players that the Bani Malik are a force not to be
provoked. More importantly, this event shows that there is
potential for Basrah's tribes to play a positive role in
security.

BONO