| Promised Day Brigade | |
|---|---|
 Another flag of the group. The text is لَبَّيْك يَا مُحَمَّد (Labbaik yā Muḥammad), "At your service,Muhammad!" | |
| Leaders | Muqtada al-Sadr |
| Dates of operation | November 2008 – June 2014 |
| Allegiance |  Iran (IRGC) |
| Headquarters | Sadr City,Baghdad |
| Active regions | Iraq andSyria (2011–2014) |
| Ideology | Shia Islamism Khomeinism Anti-Sunnism[1] |
| Size | 15,000 (2008)[2] 5,000 (2011)[3] |
| Part of |  Special Groups |
| Allies |  Ba'athist SyriaIran Asa'ib Ahl al-HaqOther Special Groups |
| Opponents |  United States-Iraq MNF–I Free Syrian Army Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant |
| Wars | theIraq War |
| Designated as a terrorist group by |  United Arab Emirates[4] |
Succeeded by Saraya al-Salam | |
ThePromised Day Brigade (PDB;Arabic:لواء اليوم الموعود,romanized: Liwāʾ al-Yawm al-Mawʿūd), originally called theMuqawimun (Arabic:المقاومون,romanized: al-Muqāwimūn, "Resisters"),[5] was aShiite organization andinsurgent group operating during theIraq War and later theSyrian Civil War. In 2010, it was one of the largest and most powerful"Special Groups" — an American term for Iranian-backed Shiite paramilitary groups in Iraq.[6]
The group was created as successor toMuqtada al-Sadr'sMahdi Army, which was Iraq's largest Shiite militant group until its disbanding in 2008, he also called on other Special Groups to join the brigade. Sadr had earlier already talked about the creation of a smaller guerrilla unit which would continue the Mahdi Army's armed activities but for the first time gave the organisation a name in November 2008 when he declared the creation of the Promised Day Brigade.[7] Its activities had particularly increased since May 2009.[5] The group's name is in reference to an alternate term for the IslamicDay of Judgment.[8] In 2013, the US military alleged that the group was receiving Iranian support. A crackdown against the group, in the end 2009, led to the arrest of 18 of its members including several commanders.[9] On November 29, 2009, the group's leader inBasra was arrested inal-Amarah.[10]
In October 2009, the Promised Day Brigade fought a battle with rival Special GroupAsa'ib Ahl al-Haq for influence inSadr City. The Promised Day Brigade reportedly won the battle and even managed to destroy the house ofAbdul Hadi al-Darraji, a senior Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq leader. Since then, the PDB had been the most powerful Special Group in the ex-Mahdi Army stronghold of Sadr City and had increased its activity there.[11]
On July 21, 2010, GeneralRay Odierno said Iran supports three Shiite groups in Iraq that had attempted to attack US bases:[12] US officials believe that of these three groups, the Promised Day Brigades poses the greatest threat to Iraq's long-term security.[3]
Sunni leaders generally tended to characterize Shi'ite insurgent groups, such as the Sadrist Promised Day Brigade and the Leagues of the People of Righteousness, as merely criminal militias and death squads responsible for the killing, maiming, and torture of Sunnis as well as attacks against Sunni mosques.
