Pro-Government Militias
Badr Organization (Syria)
Basic Group Information
| Name assigned by coder: | no |
| PGM ID Number: | 545 |
| Country: | Syria |
| Date formed: | July 13, 2013 |
| Accuracy of date formed: | day |
| Details of Formation: | On 13 July 2013, the Badr Organization announced their military involvement in Syria. Originally, the group is from Iraq, founded in the early 1980s during Iran-Iraq war. It fought Saddam Hussein under the name Badr Brigades. In 2003 they renamed themselves into Badr Organization. |
| Date dissolved: | Unknown |
| Accuracy of date dissolved: | day |
| Details of Termination: | |
| Termination Type(s): | not terminated |
Former and Successor Group Information
| Predecessor group(s): | none |
| Successor group(s): | none |
| Private Military Company? | no |
| Former Group? | yes |
| Former Armed Group? | yes |
| Former Rebel Group? | no |
| Former Rebel Group UCDP ID: | none |
| PGM Becomes Rebel Group? | no |
| Successor Rebel Group UCDP ID: | none |
Government Relation, Support, and Training
| Government Relation: | unclear |
| Created by the Government?: | no | Main Creating Government Institution: | none |
| Government Link(s): | unclear |
| If link to party, name of party: | None |
| Training and Equipment: | no |
| Shared Information and Joint Operations: | no |
| Shared Personnel: | no |
| Type(s) of Material Support: | Foreign government |
| State Sponsor(s): | Iran; Iraq |
| Other Connection(s): |
Group Characteristics
| Membership: | ethnic; religious; foreign nationals |
| Primary Membership: | religious |
| Alternative Primary Membership: | no information |
| Location: | Damascus, East Ghouta front, Aleppo |
| Force Strength: | [0, 1500] |
| Target(s): | rebels, insurgents, or other armed group |
| Purpose(s): | protect state, national or religious institutions; protect state, national or religious leader(s); fight insurgents |
Ethnic Characteristics
| Ethnic Target(s): | none |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Targeting: | not applicable |
| Ethnic Membership: | Shi'a Arabs (Iraq) |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Membership: | given |
| Ethnic Purpose: | none |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Purpose: | not applicable |
Other Information
| Other Information: | The sources do not explicitly mention a direct link to the Syrian regime. The group was included as PGM due to the similarities with other Iranian-backed Iraqi militias operating in Syria, which are reportedly pro-Assad. The Badr Organization created the subgroup 'Quwet al-Shahid Muhammed Baqir al-Sadr' as an expeditionary force operating in Syria. The group has strong links to Iraqi ministries of Transportation and the Interior. |
New Variables from Meta-Analysis
Purpose
| Purpose: | The main purpose of the PGM is to support the Syrian regime in its fight against rebels. |
| Relative Benefit(s) of PGM Use | unknown |
Treatment of Civilians
| Treatment of Civilians: | |
| Type(s) of Violence against Civilians: | unknown |
Reasons for Membership
| PGM Members Coerced? | no information |
| PGM Members Paid? | no information |
| Reasons for Membership: | |
| PGM Members Killed? | rarely |
PGM Size
| Size: | The Badr Organization announced in 2013 that it had sent 1,500 fighters to Syria. |
Weapons and Training
| Weapons and Training: |
Organisation
| Organisation: | The Badr Organization works in Syria through its subgroup, the Quwet al-Shahid Muhammed Baqir al-Sadr (BO-QSMBS) (The Martyr Muhammed Baqir al-Sadr Forces). One news source mentions that the Badr Organization works as an instrument through which Iran is able to organize operations to support Assad in Syria. |
Reference(s) for Meta-Analysis
Evidence
- Examine the evidence for this coding.