BASRAH'S IRAQ SECURITY FORCES QUELL "SOLDIERS OF HEAVEN"

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BASRAH 000003

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 1/22/2018
TAGS: MCAP MOPS PGOV PINR PINS PREL PROP PTER IR IZ
SUBJECT: BASRAH'S IRAQ SECURITY FORCES QUELL "SOLDIERS OF HEAVEN"
UPRISING

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CLASSIFIED BY: Hal Howard, A/Director, Regional Embassy Office -
Basrah, Department of State.
REASON: 1.4 (a),(b),(d)




1. (C//Rel ACGU) Summary & Comment: The Shia festival of Ashura
was disrupted January 18 when militants from the messianic cult
Jund al Sama'a (Soldiers of Heaven - JAS) attacked Iraqi police
and civilians in Basrah. It is believed the cult sought to
create the chaos that foretells the return of the Shia 12th
Immam who will bring peace to the world and to exact revenge on
Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) for a December 4 raid. ISF
performed above expectations quelling most of the violence
within hours; sporadic fighting continued until the morning of
January 19. Casualty estimates vary widely. MND-SE supported
the ISF with aerial surveillance and a "show of force" over
Basrah, but were not asked by the ISF to provide ground support.
GOI interlocutors, concerned over being criticized for not
eliminating the Soldiers of Heaven after clashes last year, are
claiming other groups were responsible. A GOI investigation and
detainee debriefings are ongoing. End Summary.


2. (C//Rel ACGU) Violence erupted January 18 in downtown Basrah
when members of Jund al Sama'a (Soldiers of Heaven - JAS)
initiated simultaneous attacks in Basrah and Nasiriyah. At 1330
(GMT +3),militants armed with small to heavy weapons attacked
Iraqi Police (IP) checkpoints, Ashura religious parades, the
Southern Oil Company, and mortared the Basrah Operations Center
(BOC). Militia snipers were also seen on rooftops. Fighting
began in the Jubayla neighborhood spreading to Jumhuriyah and
Jananiyah. Within minutes, IP Chief and acting BOC commander MG
Jalil Khalaf Shueil requested CF aviation to perform a "show of
force" over the city. MND-SE surveillance assets observed
thousands of civilians running through the streets. Four F-18s
were then stationed over the city, which proved effective in
breaking up some of the crowds. MND-SE also prepared a Quick
Reaction Force to enter the city, but Jalil claimed the ISF had
the situation under control.


3. (C//Rel ACGU) Jalil did, however, request 14th DIV (IA)
support, which was not immediately forthcoming. The 14th DIV
commander refused to recognize Jalil as the BOC commander - with
responsibility over all ISF in the province - in the absence of
LTG Mohan Hafith Fahad. MND-SE pressure and a call from Mohan
in London settled the matter. Eventually, IA armor and
dismounted units engaged militants in support of the police.
The fighting climaxed at the JAS compound (vic GR 69048063),
which was taken by the ISF around 1830. Sporadic fighting
continued until the morning of January 19. As a precaution, IA
units remained in the city at intersections and bridges.


4. (C//Rel ACGU) Casualty figures vary, but according to Jalil
the ISF suffered 6 killed and 19 wounded, while approximately 35
militants were killed, 40 wounded and 120 arrested. The local
press reported 66-110 deaths and 217 wounded. Jalil told us
that the JAS militia leader in Basrah, Abu Mustafa Alsari, was
killed in the fighting. Jalil also said senior Iraqi
intelligence officers arrived January 20 to conduct an
investigation and debrief detainees.


5. (C//Rel ACGU) According to Jalil, local politicians contacted
him and offered their militias in support, including Jaysh
al-Mahdi (JAM),Iraqi Hizbollah, Lord of the Martyrs and
Fadhila. Jalil refused reminding them that they carried illegal
arms and their presence on the streets would only confuse the
situation further. Observers noted, however, a JAM presence on
the streets after the fighting subdued to maintain order. Jalil
also told us that calls from Basrawis notifying the IP of
militant locations were extremely useful.


6. (C//Rel ACGU) Unlike the JAM uprising on October 23, 2007,
Jalil and Governor Mohammed Wa'eli were quick to hold press
conferences to prevent speculative reporting and reassure the
public. Iraqi media reported, however, that CF aircraft bombed
Basrah, but it is more likely high explosive rounds fired by IA
tanks during an engagement were heard instead. MND-SE Media Ops
repudiated the report, which was subsequently retracted.


7. (C//Rel ACGU) Various groups have been blamed for the
attacks, but in Basrah, The Soldiers of Heaven were most likely
responsible. Some reports have blamed Jaysh Al-Sarkhi (a group
often confused with JAS due to similar ideologies) but
indications are that if Jaysh al-Sarkhi participated, it was in
Nasiriyah and not Basrah. An Office of the Martyr Sadr
spokesman in Najaf denied JAM involvement. Sources tell us that

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the Soldiers of Heaven also go by the name of Ansar al Mahdi
(Mahdi Supporters),adding to the confusion. Jalil told us that
JAS received weapons and training from Iran.


8. (U) JAS is a small Shia cult seeking to foment chaos to bring
the return of the 12th Imam or Mahdi, who disappeared in the 9th
Century but will, according to some Shia Muslims, return to save
the world. Observers of the attacks saw militants wearing
yellow headbands with a Star of David - the color and symbol of
the group. Their spiritual leader is Ahmad Hassan al-Basri (aka
al-Yemani). Iraqi sources tell us his current whereabouts are
unknown, but he is often sighted in Nasiriyah and Najaf where
the group's core membership is located. They are estimated to
have around 200-400 followers in Basrah.


9. (C//Rel ACGU) It is likely that the GOI, embarrassed by
their failure to prevent JAS from attacking the Ashura festival
a second time, is claiming that other groups were to blame.
Several GOI sources have told us that JAS were not responsible,
but other sources overwhelmingly attribute the attacks to them.
During a similar uprising at last year's Ashura festival, the
ISF claimed to have killed 263 JAS members, including their
former military leader, Diyah Abdul Zahra Kazim al-Gharari.
Jalil told us that Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's office
ordered secret raids by Baghdad-based ISF to pre-empt attacks at
this year's festival and in reprisal for al-Basri's late
December criticisms of Shia leaders. Jalil said he and Mohan
were made aware of the January 4 raid against the group's
Husseiniyah (religious school),though Mohan denied knowledge of
the raid in the local press. Alsari reportedly ordered
attackers to target the ISF on January 18 in reprisal for the
GOI's raid.


10. (C//Rel ACGU) COMMENT: Despite the IP's poor performance
against JAM on October 23, they appear to have performed above
expectations against JAS. Their performance may be attributable
to Jalil's reform efforts over the last couple of months and
give the IP a much needed confidence boost. Questions remain,
however, as to how they would respond against JAM - a stronger
foe that has thoroughly infiltrated the police. The event also
highlights how quickly Basrah's stability can be disrupted and
the need for increased coordination between the Iraqi Army and
Police. It is unlikely JAS will cause further problems in the
near-term, given their propensity for attacking during Ashura
and the ISF's current crackdown on them. End Comment.
HOWARD