The US State Department is offering up to $10 million for information on the leader of the Iran-backed Iraqi military group Kataeb Sayyid al-Shuhada (KSS), which Washington considers a terrorist organization.
US officials stated in a social media post Thursday that they were looking for information on KSS leader Hashim Finyan Rahim al-Saraji, also known as Abu Alaa al-Walai.
The organization has “killed Iraqi civilians and attacked U.S. diplomatic facilities in Iraq, as well as attacking U.S. military bases and personnel in Iraq and Syria,” Washington claimed.
The post states that “you could be eligible for relocation and a reward” for information on al-Saraji’s whereabouts.
Al-Saraji serves on the Coordination Framework, the ruling Shiite alliance that controls the legislative majority.
Iran-backed militias have attacked the US embassy in Iraq’s capital, the diplomatic and logistics complex at Baghdad International Airport, and foreign-owned oil reserves.
Iraq, which had recently recovered some peace after decades of turmoil, was immediately drawn into the Middle East war when the US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28.
Earlier this month, a similar reward was offered to the commander of Kataeb Hezbollah, a major Iraqi armed organization who kidnapped US journalist Shelly Kittleson last month and held her for a week before releasing her.
According to US media reports this week, Washington has increased pressure on Baghdad to combat pro-Tehran groups by stopping cash supplies and blocking funds for Iraq’s security operations.
