U.S.-backed Iraqi special forces raided a target in the Shi’ite slum district of Sadr City in Baghdad on Saturday, returning to an area where recent raids have sparked tensions with Washington over cracking down on militias. The U.S. military said special Iraqi Army forces with coalition advisers detained three suspects during the raid on “an illegal armed group murder and kidnapping cell”. Washington has been pressing Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki to crack down on the Mehdi Army, a Shi’ite Muslim militia loyal to cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, whose movement provides key support to Maliki in parliament. Sadr City is the main stronghold in Baghdad of the Mehdi Army, blamed by Sunni Muslims and Washington for operating sectarian death squads. Full Story
About OODA Analyst
OODA is comprised of a unique team of international experts capable of providing advanced intelligence and analysis, strategy and planning support, risk and threat management, training, decision support, crisis response, and security services to global corporations and governments.