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Special Groups is a designation given by the US military to the cell-based Shi'a insurgent groups operating within Iraq, backed by Iran. They are a target of increasing focus as the Multinational Force Iraq's military operations in Iraq. These groups are allegedly funded, trained, and armed by the Iranian Quds Force. These groups are separate from although possibly connected with the Jaish al Mahdi or Mahdi Army, of Muqtada al-Sadr. A distinction between these groups and the Mahdi Army has been maintained more clearly since al-Sadr called for a ceasefire at the end of August 2007 following Mahdi Army clashes with Iraqi Security Forces in Karbala, Iraq but the Special Groups continued fighting. One of the speicial groups was the group Kata'ib Hezbollah (or Hezbollah Brigades) which then started to operate independently from the Mahdi Army and the other Special Groups.

External links

Map of Special Groups Activity in Iraq - requires Google Earth

Coalition forces target Special Groups leader, 49 criminals killed - 21 Oct 2007

Raid in Baghdad's Sadr City kills 49 Special Groups operatives - 21 Oct 2007

DoD News Briefing with Maj. Gen. Sherlock from the Pentagon - 04 Oct 2007

Cooling The Clash With Iran - 16 Sep 2007

Gen. Petraeus Opening Remarks to Congress - 11 Sep 2007

Two Suspected Secret Cell Terrorists Detained by Coalition Forces - 12 Jul 2007

MNF-I spokesman details secret cell involvement in Iraq - 02 Jul 2007