Iraq conflict: The resurgence of Shiite rivalry in Iraq

Report by Nicole Hajal, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi

A longstanding feud between the Sadr Movement, led by Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, and Asaib Ahl al-Haq, under the leadership of Qais al-Khazali with ties to Iran, has resurfaced.

Recent developments were the killing of Sadrist activist Ayser al-Khafaji, abducted from his home in the city of Hilla, the capital of Babel Province. This incident follows the murder of Hadi al-Amiri's cousin, a prominent figure in the Badr Organization, just a day earlier.

Iraq's Interior Ministry has assured progress in the investigation into al-Khafaji's killing, but his tribe responded with an outraged statement warning of dire consequences if the perpetrators are not apprehended swiftly.

The family of al-Khafaji has squarely blamed Babel Governorate officials aligned with Asaib Ahl al-Haq for their son's death, threatening retaliation against what they termed "all offices" of the group.

This latest event has reignited concerns about potential clashes between Shiite factions in Iraq, particularly in Babel Province, already teetering on the brink of explosion.

What lies behind the longstanding-new animosity between al-Sadr and al-Khazali?

This animosity traces back years. Asaib Ahl al-Haq, or the "Islamic Resistance in Iraq" as its supporters call it, broke away from the Sadr Movement led by Muqtada al-Sadr in 2005, founding the Asaib Ahl al-Haq movement under al-Khazali's leadership.

At that time, al-Sadr's followers saw this move as a "stab in the back" to their movement, which presented itself as an Iraqi nationalist group before a Shiite one, a distinction not embraced by the Asaib Ahl al-Haq, which aligned itself with the Iranian regime and carried out armed operations against US forces and the Iraqi army.

However, the hostility between the Sadrists and Asaib Ahl al-Haq escalated following the local elections in late 2023.

The Sadrists boycotted these elections, allowing their rivals to secure significant gains and leadership positions in many provincial governments. This development threatens the influence and interests of the Sadr Movement in key strongholds.

Has resorting to arms to maintain influence become inevitable, and is the recent wave of assassinations between the two sides a sign of a personal rivalry between al-Sadr and al-Khazali heralding a Shiite-Shiite conflict that could ignite at any moment?