l ama ▁( groups ▁of ▁pro - K home ini ▁ul ama ). ▁ ▁The ▁Ba ath ▁leadership ▁made ▁a ▁determined ▁effort ▁to ▁gain ▁support ▁from ▁Ira qi ▁Sh ia ▁during ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 – 1 9 8 8 ▁Iran – I ra q ▁War , ▁diver ting ▁resources ▁to ▁the ▁Sh ia ▁south ▁and ▁emphas izing ▁Ira qi ▁Arab ness ▁( in ▁contrast ▁to ▁Iran ian ▁Pers ian ness ) ▁and ▁the ▁historic ▁struggle ▁between ▁the ▁Muslim ▁Arab s ▁and ▁the ▁Z oro ast rian ▁Pers ians ▁in ▁propag anda . ▁Ira qi ▁propag anda ▁used ▁symbol ic ▁keywords ▁such ▁as ▁Q ā dis iy ya ▁( the ▁battle ▁in ▁which ▁Muslim ▁Arab ▁arm ies ▁defeated ▁the ▁Pers ian ▁Empire ), ▁and ▁Iran ian ▁propag anda ▁used ▁Sh ia ▁keywords ▁such ▁as ▁Kar b ala . ▁The ▁Ba ath ▁government ▁executed ▁about ▁ 9 5 ▁Sh ia ▁ul ama , ▁many ▁of ▁them ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁al - H ak im ▁family , ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 9 8 4 . ▁ ▁During ▁Ira qi ▁conflict ▁( 2 0 0 3 - present ) ▁After ▁the ▁US - led ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁invasion ▁of ▁Ira q , ▁sect arian ▁violence ▁between ▁Sh ia ▁and ▁the ▁S unn is ▁stead ily ▁es cal ated . ▁By ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁the ▁United ▁States ' ▁National ▁Int elligence ▁Est imate ▁described ▁the ▁violence ▁as ▁a ▁" c ivil ▁war ". ▁During ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 6