Qais Khazali
Encyclopedia
Hujjat al-Islam Qais al-Khazali is best known as the founder and leader of the (allegedly) Iran
ian-backed Special Groups in Iraq from June 2006 until his capture by American forces in March 2007. 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
. 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
(AHH) also known as the "Khazali network". During his incarceration Akram al-Kabi became acting commander of the organisation until his release.
Khazali was released in January 2010, in exchange for the release of Peter Moore. 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.
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian-backed Special Groups in Iraq from June 2006 until his capture by American forces in March 2007. 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
Karbala provincial headquarters raid
The raid of the Karbala provincial headquarters was an infiltration attack carried out on 20 January 2007 by insurgent commandos, with possible Iranian involvement, on a meeting of U.S. and Iraqi officials at the governor's compound in Karbala to discuss security for the Shia ceremony of Ashoura...
. A former follower of Moqtada al-Sadr, he was expelled from the Mahdi Army
Mahdi Army
The Mahdi Army, also known as the Mahdi Militia or Jaish al-Mahdi , was an Iraqi paramilitary force created by the Iraqi Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr in June 2003....
in 2004 for giving "unauthorized orders" and founded his own group: Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq
Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq
Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq also known as the Khazali Network and previously known as Ahl al-Kahf is a Shi'a Insurgent group in Iraq and is known as the country's largest Special Group...
(AHH) also known as the "Khazali network". During his incarceration Akram al-Kabi became acting commander of the organisation until his release.
Khazali was released in January 2010, in exchange for the release of Peter Moore. In December that year, notorious special groups commanders Abu Deraa
Abu Deraa
Abu Deraa , is an Iraqi Shia warlord whose men have been accused of terrorizing and killing Sunnis...
and Mustafa al-Sheibani
Abu Mustafa al-Sheibani
Abu Mustafa al-Sheibani also known as Hamid Thajil Warij al-Attabi or Hamid al-Sheibani is an Iraqi Shi'a leader who commands his own insurgent group and smuggling network known as the Sheibani Network, which became one of the Iraqi Special Groups...
were allowed to return to Iraq and declared they would be working with Khazali after their return.