Qais Khazali

Sheikh
Qais Khazali
الشيخ قيس الخزعلي
Secretary-General of Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq
Assumed office
July 2006
Personal details
Born 1974 (age 43–44)[1]
Sadr City, Baghdad, Iraq
Nationality Iraqi
Political party Al-Sadiqoun Bloc
Other political
affiliations		 Fatah Alliance
Military service
Allegiance  Iraq
Service/branch Popular Mobilization Forces
Unit Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq
Battles/wars Iraqi Civil War (2014–present)

Qais al-Khazali (in Arabic قيس الخزعلي) (born 1974) is best known as the founder and leader of the Special Groups in Iraq from June 2006 until his capture by British forces in March 2007.[2] As head of the Special Groups, Khazali directed arms smuggling, formation of death squads to participate in sectarian violence, kidnappings, and assassinations, most notably the January 20, 2007 attack on American forces in Karbala.[3][4] A former follower of Moqtada al-Sadr, he was expelled from the Mahdi Army in 2004 for giving "unauthorized orders" and founded his own group: Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq (AAH) also known as the "Khazali network". During his incarceration Akram al-Kabi became acting commander of the organisation until his release.[5]

On the night of 20 March 2007 G squadron of the British SAS raided a house in Basra containing Khazali and arrested him along with his brother and his Lebanese advisor without casualties and gained valuable intelligence.[6]

Khazali was released in January 2010, in exchange for the release of Peter Moore, who had been kidnapped by Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq.[7] In December that year, notorious special groups commanders Abu Deraa and Mustafa al-Sheibani were allowed to return to Iraq and declared they would be working with Khazali after their return.[8]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Iraq Asaib al-Haq leader Qais al-Khazali pledges to lay down arms | News | National Post
  2. ↑ Kagan, pp 167, 177.
  3. ↑ Kagan, pp 168-177
  4. ↑ Kevin J. Bergner (2007-07-02). "MULTI-NATIONAL FORCE - IRAQ: Situational Update" (PDF). US Forces in Iraq. pp. 16–17. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 7, 2011. Retrieved 2011-11-09. Media related to File:US forces in Iraq briefing slides from 2007-07-02.pdf at Wikimedia Commons
  5. ↑ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on April 1, 2010. Retrieved February 7, 2010.
  6. ↑ Urban, Mark, Task Force Black: The Explosive True Story of the Secret Special Forces War in Iraq , St. Martin's Griffin, 2012 ISBN 1250006961 ISBN 978-1250006967, p.222-p.225, p.275
  7. ↑ Chulov, Martin (2010-01-03). "Cleric freed in move expected to prompt handover of kidnapped Briton's body". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 January 2010.
  8. ↑ In Iraq, Iran's Special Groups to flourish - UPI.com

Sources

  • Kagan, Kimberly (2009), The Surge: A Military History, New York, NY: Encounter Books, ISBN 978-1-59403-249-3
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