Other than these two groups, there are groups such as the "Coordinating Committee of the Iraqi Revolution Youth" (the term coordinating committee became widely used during the Syrian revolution and had not been previously used in Iraq). These groups focus in their narrative on the importance of Sunni solidarity and not to trust any Shiite groups, including those opposed to Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. They tend to talk about the Shiites as totally affiliated with Iran. Thus, the term "Safavi" is often used to refer to the Shiite forces and members of the Iraqi army, which is dominated by Shiites. The term “Safavi” in the Sunni memory refers to the 1501-1736 Iranian Safavid dynasty, which warred with the Ottomans.
On the Shiite side, there is the prominent group of "Hezbollah in Iraq," which formed what they called the Mukhtar Army, whose name is linked to the Shiite historical narrative. These groups adopt an explicit sectarian ideology in their criticism of the Sunni opposition, and warn of the attempt of Sunnis to seize power again in Iraq. Also, they publicly express in their speeches sympathy with the Syrian regime in its confrontation with the Syrian opposition, and describe all its factions as sectarian.
These groups transcend Maliki’s position in their criticism and accusations of treason against Sunni opponents. Wathiq al-Battat, secretary-general of Iraqi Hezbollah, warned Maliki of his soft stance and submission to demands made by demonstrators, and told him to be prepared for punishment.
There is a page on Facebook called "The Mukhtar Brigades," which displays a picture of Battat. The group has been accused of distributing leaflets in some Sunni areas of Baghdad demanding that the Sunni population leave.
There is another military formation in Damascus known as "Abul Fadl Abbas Brigade" — in reference to Abbas, the son of Ali ibn Abi Talib, a key Shiite fighter symbol. This brigade is presumably tasked with protecting the Shiite shrine of Sayyeda Zeinab in Damascus, which came under attacks by Syrian Salafist groups. The composition of the brigade — which includes Iraqis, Lebanese, and Iranians — clearly reflects this cross-border sectarian ideology and its interpretation of the ongoing conflict in the two countries.
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