U.S.-backed Iraqi troops on Sunday attacked insurgents allegedly plotting to kill pilgrims at a major Shiite Muslim religious festival, and Iraqi officials estimated some 250 militants died in the daylong battle near Najaf. A U.S. helicopter crashed during the fight, killing two American soldiers. ...
Iraqi soldiers attacked at dawn and militants hiding in orchards fought back with automatic weapons, sniper rifles and rockets, the governor said. He said the insurgents were members of a previously unknown group called the Army of Heaven.
"They are well-equipped and they even have anti-aircraft missiles," the governor said. "They are backed by some locals" loyal to ousted dictator Saddam Hussein.
Abu Kilel said two Iraqi policemen were killed and 15 wounded, but there was no word on other Iraqi government casualties.
It seems likely these were Sunnis. Consider they were backed by local Baathists and were planning to slaughter Shia civilians at a religious event. Add it up. The only question is whether they were armed by Iran. A previously unknown group in large numbers and well equipped, but apparently too stupid to avoid being slaughtered point to an Iran-created group in my opinion. But I'm speculating.
Consider that the Baathists seem to be losing heart and have specialized in IEDs that expose their people less to our lethal forces. Jihadis are the ones who tend to go for large body counts against civilians. Local Baathists could support jihadis if they are the only game in town.
What I find really odd is that the enemy massed. We haven't seen numbers like this in one place since major combat operations in March and April 2003. Heck, we've rarely seen platoon-sized elements in one place over the last couple years. We seem to have killed 250. Did we get all of them? Half? This was a major operation by the enemy.
And the Iraqis dealt the killing blow, it seems (though I assume our air power had a big role). It is good that the Iraqis did a good amount of the work.
Why did the enemy risk so many well-equipped gunmen to kill Shia civilians? Why wouldn't they have gone for a suicide bomb or mortars or remote-controlled bomb? Why was a foot assault planned?
It is very good that we intercepted this group before they could kill civilians in large numbers. It might have sparked renewed Shia death squad activity. It is good so many of the enemy died at once.
But I have lots of questions about what this means.
What is going on there?
UPDATE: When I first heard the news reports earlier in the day, I assumed the killed were Shia militias. By the time I wrote my post, the reports implied Sunni terrorists. Iraq the Model says they appear to be a Shia group.
This article states:
The Iraqi government spokesman, Ali al-Dabbagh, said the raid on Sunday was targeting a group called the Jund al-Samaa, or Soldiers of Heaven, and the group's leader was among those killed, along with foreign fighters.
Al-Dabbagh and officials in Najaf said the group included Soldiers of Heaven followers, a religious cult seeking to bring back a Shiite saint known as the "hidden imam," as well as terror suspects and foreign fighters plotting to assassinate senior Shiite clerics as well as pilgrims on one of the holiest Shiite ceremonies of Ashoura.
The last of the 12 Shiite imams, Mohammed al-Mahdi, disappeared and Shiites believe he is still alive and will one day return as a savior of mankind.
This talk of the Hidden Imam hints at a link to Iran. As does this:
The Iraqi troops killed 200 terrorists, wounded 60 and captured 120 in the opperation, defense ministry spokesman Mohammed al-Askari said, citing the most recent figures he had received.
Ahmed Deaibil, a spokesman for Najaf province, and Brig. Gen. Fadhil Barwari earlier had put the figure at 300 militants killed and as many as 20 captured, including fighters from Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Lebanon.
Would a purely local group have so many foreigners in the ranks? This smells of an effort from outside. Which based on the Hidden Imam stuff, indicates Iran. And as I mentioned, the fact that nearly four years into the fighting an insurgent group would mass hundreds and then not have the brains to scatter and get the heck out Dodge when the sheriff shows up indicates a brand spanking new outfit with little local experience.
Iran is up to something. This is worrisome.
