Hundreds of Iraqi Shi'ites returning from Iran for IED bombing campaign
BAGHDAD — Hizbullah has been facilitating a a major Iranian bombing
campaign in Iraq, Iraqi security officials said.
The officials said Hizbullah has trained hundreds of Shi'ite insurgents in
Iran for the assembly and operation of improvised explosive devices and
explosively-formed penetrators, Middle East Newsline reported. They said the Iraqi Shi'ites have been
streaming back into Iraq to launch a bombing campaign against the government
of Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki.
"These Hizbullah-trained Shi'ites are heading to Shi'ite cities in
southern Iraq," an official said. "This looks to be a major campaign to
destabilize the government."
A senior Iraqi police official said the Shi'ites were being trained in
squads of 10 members each. They said the squads, known as Special Groups,
have been equipped with motorcycles laden with bombs.
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"The Special Groups are returning from Iran after receiving training in
using new tactics," Iraqi Brig. Gen. Sabah Al Fatlawi, police chief in the
province of Dhi Qar, told the Paris-based Agence France Presse. "We have
seized 20 motorcycle bombs in Nassiriya [capital of Dhi Qar]. Some groups
have arrived in Nassiriya."
Officials said the Iranian effort has been facilitated by Hizbullah.
They said Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps has granted Hizbullah
responsibility over Special Groups.
On Sept. 21, Iraqi and U.S. forces captured five Hizbullah operatives.
Officials said the operatives facilitated the smuggling of weapons and other
material from Iran and Iraq, used to attack government forces.
"Acting on intelligence information, coalition forces targeted suspected
key members of the Khata'ib Hizbullah network in two separate locations,"
the U.S. military said. "The
network allegedly funnels weapons/materiel into Iraq from Iran, which is
then used to conduct attacks against coalition and Iraqi forces."