US offers $10M bounty for Iranian-aligned Iraqi militia leader
What's the story
The United States State Department has announced a reward of up to $10 million for information that leads to the identification or location of Abu Ala al-Walai, the leader of the Iran-aligned Iraqi militia, Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada (KSS). The group is considered a terrorist organization by Washington. Al-Walai, whose legal name is Hashim Finyan Rahim al-Saraji, was first designated as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist in November 2023.
Militia attacks
KSS has 'killed Iraqi civilians, attacked US diplomatic facilities'
The State Department's Rewards for Justice program is seeking tips through its Tor tipline and the messenger Signal, with informants eligible for financial rewards and relocation assistance. According to US officials cited by ANI, KSS has "killed Iraqi civilians and attacked US diplomatic facilities in Iraq," as well as attacking US military bases and personnel in Iraq and Syria.
Militia growth
What is the KSS militia?
The Counter Extremism Project describes KSS as an Iraqi militia ideologically aligned with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The group grew significantly after ISIS swept through Iraq in 2014 and is now a part of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces. Its commanders have previously met with Qasem Soleimani, the former head of the IRGC's elite Quds Force.
Militia escalation
Bounty comes as KSS ramps up activities
The bounty comes as KSS has ramped up its activities since the US-Iran conflict escalated last month. The Washington Institute for Near East Policy reports that KSS is now allegedly targeting Gulf states, especially Kuwait, from southern Iraq's al-Muthanna and Basra provinces. Along with Kataib Hezbollah and Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba, it has also attacked the Kurdistan Region of Iraq with drones and rockets.
Strike suggestion
US should consider reviving targeted strike strategy: Washington Institute
The Washington Institute has suggested that the US should consider reviving its targeted strike strategy from early 2024. The strategy proved effective in halting a wave of attacks targeting American personnel by eliminating two prominent militia leaders in Baghdad. This decisive action disrupted the operational capabilities of the militias, which had been responsible for orchestrating these assaults.