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Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada

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The Master of Martyrs Battalion, better known as Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada' (KSS; Arabic: كتائب سيد الشهداء, Battalion of the Master of Martyrs) and officially the 14th Brigade, is a radical Iraqi Shiite paramilitary group formed in 2013. Its stated mission is to protect "(Shia) shrines across the globe", preserve "Iraqi unity" and to "put an end to the sectarian conflict". KSS is funded, trained and equipped by IRGC's Quds Force and Hezbollah.

Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada
كتائب سيد الشهداء
LeadersAbu Ala al-Walai[1]
Abu Mustafa al-Sheibani[2]
Dates of operation2013–present[3]
Allegiance Iraq
Group(s)
  • Liwa al-Sayyida Ruqayya (The Ja'afari Force)[4]
Active regionsSaladin Governorate, Iraq[5]
Damascus Governorate, Syria[3]
Daraa Governorate[3]
IdeologyShia Islamism
Wilayat al Faqih[6]
Khomeinism
Anti-Zionism
Size10,000 (December 2020)[2]
Part ofPopular Mobilization Forces
Islamic Resistance in Iraq (since 2020)
AlliesState allies

Non-state allies

Opponents
Battles and wars
WebsiteOfficial website

The group has been described as an Iranian proxy, and is one of the original militias that formed the Popular Mobilization Forces in 2014. The group has close ties to Badr Organization and the IRGC.[14]

KSS is also active in Syria, where its main focus is the protection of the Sayyidah Zaynab Mosque in a southern suburb of Damascus. It militarily supports the Syrian government and participates in the Syrian Civil War.[3] It notably engaged in the Battle of Al-Shaykh Maskin where it fought alongside Syrian government forces.[10]

On November 17, 2023, KSS and its leader Hashim Finyan Rahim al-Saraji (also known as Abu Ala al-Walai) were declared Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGT) under the counterterrorism authority Executive Order 13224 by the United States.[15][16][17][18] Additionally, al-Saraji was placed on Office of Foreign Assets Control's Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) List.[19]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "US mulls how best to Control pro-Iran Factions | Iraq Business News - Part 2". 30 May 2017.
  2. ^ a b Michael Knights (23 June 2017). "Iran's Foreign Legion: The Role of Iraqi Shiite Militias in Syria". Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada". Tracking Terrorism. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
  4. ^ "Liwa al-Sayyida Ruqayya: Recruiting the Shi'a of Damascus".
  5. ^ a b c d e f g "MMP: Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada".
  6. ^ "قيادي في "الحشد الشعبي": نتبع ولاية الفقيه لا ساسة العراق". 3 August 2016.
  7. ^ Fahim, Kareem; Barnard, Anne (21 October 2015). "Russia Makes an Impact in Syrian Battle for Control of Aleppo". The New York Times.
  8. ^ "Hizb Allah's Gambit in Syria". 27 August 2013. Archived from the original on 20 August 2021. Retrieved 29 July 2018.
  9. ^ "الحشد يعلق على القصف الأمريكي ضد كتائب سيد الشهداء غرب الأنبار .. ويتوعد بالرد". قناة دجلة الفضائية.
  10. ^ a b "Syria Update: November 25 – December 02, 2014". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 3 December 2014.
  11. ^ "Iranian-backed militia seen with US tank in Iraq | FDD's Long War Journal". www.longwarjournal.org.
  12. ^ "Shiite militias, Iraqi forces surround Tikrit". 10 March 2015. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
  13. ^ "The Shiite Jihad in Syria and Its Regional Effects APPENDIX 2 Understanding the Organizations Deployed to Syria" (PDF). Washington Institute for Near East Policy. February 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 25, 2016. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  14. ^ "Hizballah Cavalcade: Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada Emerges: Updates on the New Iraqi Shia Militia Supplying Fighters to Syria". Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  15. ^ Knights, Michael. "Profile: Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada". The Washington Institute.
  16. ^ "Counter Terrorism Designations". Office of Foreign Assets Control. November 17, 2023.
  17. ^ "Terrorist Designations of Iran-aligned Militia Groups". state.gov. November 17, 2023.
  18. ^ "U.S. Treasury Sanctions Iran-Aligned Militias in Iraq". U.S. Department of the Treasury. November 17, 2023.
  19. ^ "Hashim Finyan Rahim al-Saraji - Sanctions List Search (OFAC)". sanctionssearch.ofac.treas.gov.
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