Mahdi Army

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The Mahdi Army (Arabic: جيش المهدي) was a Shia Iraqi militia founded by Muqtada al-Sadr in 2003 following the American invasion of Iraq. Its stated purpose was to resist the American occupation, protect Shiite areas, holy shrines, including the Imam Ali Shrine, and provide security and services. The Army became known for its fierce battles against coalition forces, most notably in Najaf, Sadr City, Basra, and Dhi Qar in 2004. The Mahdi Army rose to international prominence on April 4, 2004, when it spearheaded the first major armed confrontation against the US forces in Iraq from the Shia community. This concerned an uprising that followed the ban of al-Sadr's newspaper and his subsequent attempted arrest, lasting until a truce on June 6. The truce was followed by moves to disband the group and transform al-Sadr's movement into a political party to take part in the 2005 elections; Muqtada al-Sadr ordered fighters of the Mahdi Army to cease fire unless attacked first. The truce broke down...

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