Groups · Iraqi Shia militia
Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada
Overview
State: "KSS is a member of the IRI and the group’s terrorist activity has threatened both U.S. and Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS personnel in Iraq and Syria." (state.gov)
IRGC Qods Force in US Documents
Iran, through the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and its external operations force known as the Qods Force, has supported KSS, KH, and other Iran-aligned militia groups with training, funding, and sophisticated weapons
From MEF Research
Though closely linked to the Iranian-backed Iraqi Shi'a militia Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada' that has operated in Syria since 2013, it is noted for its recruitment of native Syrian Shi'a from Damascus and its environs.
Leaders
Names, titles and roles exactly as given in US designation documents. Titles reflect the date of the document and may be out of date.
| Name (OFAC Spelling) | Role as Stated | On SDN List Since | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| AL-SARAJI, Hashim Finyan Rahim | 2023-11-17 | OFAC record · 2021-2025.state.gov |
History
- 2023-11-17 KATA'IB SAYYID AL-SHUHADA added to the OFAC SDN List. (OFAC SDN record 46348)
- 2023-11-17 State designated Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada and its secretary general as SDGTs; Treasury acted the same day on six Kata'ib Hizballah affiliates. (2021-2025.state.gov)
- 2023-11-28 Federal Register notice: State designated Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada and its secretary general Specially Designated Global Terrorists. (federalregister.gov)
- 2025-09-17 State announced the FTO designations of Harakat al-Nujaba, Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada, Harakat Ansar Allah al-Awfiya and Kata'ib al-Imam Ali; they took effect on Federal Register publication, September 18, 2025 (90 FR 45097). (state.gov)
- 2025-09-18 Federal Register notice: State designated Harakat al-Nujaba, Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada, Harakat Ansar Allah al-Awfiya and Kata'ib al-Imam Ali Foreign Terrorist Organizations. (federalregister.gov)
Designations
| Date | Record | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-09-18 | Federal Register notice | Foreign Terrorist Organization Designations of Harakat al-Nujaba, Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada, Harakat Ansar Allah al-Awfiya, and Kata'ib al-Imam Ali (90 FR 45097) | federalregister.gov |
| 2025-09-17 | State Department release | State announced the FTO designations of Harakat al-Nujaba, Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada, Harakat Ansar Allah al-Awfiya and Kata'ib al-Imam Ali; they took effect on Federal Register publication, September 18, 2025 (90 FR 45097). | state.gov |
| 2023-11-28 | Federal Register notice | Designation of Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada and Hashim Finyan Rahim al-Saraji as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (88 FR 83201) | federalregister.gov |
| 2023-11-17 | OFAC SDN List entry | KATA'IB SAYYID AL-SHUHADA: programs SDGT, FTO; on the SDN List since 2023-11-17 (OFAC enhanced list date). | OFAC SDN record 46348 |
| 2023-11-17 | State Department release | State designated Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada and its secretary general as SDGTs; Treasury acted the same day on six Kata'ib Hizballah affiliates. | 2021-2025.state.gov |
Activity
- 0 attacks and clashes
- 2 money and logistics events
- 2 counteractions
| Date | Type | Groups | Place | Summary | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-07 | Money and logistics | Hezbollah, Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq, Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada | Iran (country named most often in the release) | Treasury sanctions action; the release names Hezbollah, Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq, Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada. | US Treasury press release |
| 2026-04-17 | Money and logistics | Kata'ib Hezbollah, al-Nujaba, Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq, Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada | Iraq (country named most often in the release) | Treasury sanctions action; the release names Kata'ib Hezbollah, al-Nujaba, Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq, Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada. | US Treasury press release |
| 2025-09-17 | Counteractions | al-Nujaba, Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada, Ansar Allah al-Awfiya, Kata'ib al-Imam Ali | Washington, D.C. (designation) | State announced the FTO designations of Harakat al-Nujaba, Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada, Harakat Ansar Allah al-Awfiya and Kata'ib al-Imam Ali; they took effect on Federal Register publication, September 18, 2025 (90 FR 45097). | State |
| 2023-11-17 | Counteractions | Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada, Kata'ib Hezbollah | Washington, D.C. (designation) | State designated Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada and its secretary general as SDGTs; Treasury acted the same day on six Kata'ib Hizballah affiliates. | State |
MEF Coverage
MEF-written articles in the local meforum.org archive that mention this group (19 shown; the archive covers 2004-09-01 to 2026-08-28).
- Inside the Houthi Network in Iraq
- Will Iraqi Militias Help the Iranian Regime to Survive?
- At MEF’s Urging, U.S. Designates Iran-Backed Iraqi Militias as Terrorists
- The U.S. Must Reduce Iranian Influence in Iraq
- 'The Islamic Resistance in Iraq'- A Brief Overview and Analysis
- U.S. Strikes on Pro-Iran Militias Reveal Iran's Arms Trafficking Hub
- Iran in Syria: "Cognitive Empathy" and Interests
- Journeys to Mosul
- The U.S.-Iranian confrontation on the Syria-Iraq Borders: Interview with an Iraqi Militia Official
- Liwa Sayf al-Mahdi: A Syrian Army Shi'i Militia
- The 'Martyrs' of Liwa al-Sayyida Ruqayya (The Ja'afari Force)
- The Dir' al-Watan Brand: Liwa Salah al-Din al-Ayyubi
- Liwa Dir' al-Watan: A New Pro-Assad Militia in Damascus
- The Syrian National Resistance: Liwa Khaybar
- Overview of Some Pro-Assad Militias
- Research on the Islamic State, Syria, and Iraq
- Liwa al-Sayyida Ruqayya: Recruiting the Shi'a of Damascus
- The Return of Iraqi Shi'i Militias to Syria
- Iran and the Shia Militias Advance in Iraq