Badr Organization and Post-invasion Iraq
| Badr Organization | |
|---|---|
| Participant in the Iraq War | |
| Active | 1982 – 2003 (officially) |
| Groups | Al-Hakeem |
| Leaders | Hadi al-Amiri |
| Headquarters | Najaf, Iraq |
| Area of operations |
Baghdad and Southern Iraq |
| Strength | 10,000-15,000 |
| Opponents | Ba'ath Party |
| Battles/wars | Iran–Iraq War, 1991 uprisings in Iraq, Iraqi Kurdish Civil War, Iraq War |
Because of their opposition to Saddam Hussein, the Badr Brigade was seen as a U.S. asset in the fight against Baathist partisans. After the fall of Baghdad, Badr forces reportedly joined the newly-reconstituted army, police and Interior Ministry in significant numbers.
The Badr Organization has eased pressure on US Occupation forces, by having its members be Iraqi security forces and assist in fighting insurgents, human rights groups have expressed concern that the organization engages is also unfairly targeting Iraqis because they are not Shiite fundamentalists.
Iraqi Sunnis have also been, reportedly, targeted by members of the Badr Corps as well as Iraqi Shiites who do not share the Badrs' Islamic fundamentalist beliefs. Since 2005, there have been reports that the organization has specifically targeted LGBT Iraqis for execution, as part of a larger campaign against decadence and immorality.
There have also been reports of sporadic arguments and fire fighting between members of the Badr organization and British forces along with an accusation that the organization is working for Iran, a charge that the organization strenuously denies.
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