Iranian-backed Shiite militias are threatening to retaliate against American interests

. . . . . QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA and ADAM SCHRECK 19 hours ago . BAGHDAD (AP) — Iranian-backed Shiite militias are threatening to retaliate against American interests inside Iraq if the United States goes ahead with strikes against the Tehran-allied government in neighboring Syria, according to Iraqi security officials and militants themselves. Iraqi officials say they are taking the warnings seriously. The threats, which come as President Barack Obama's administration and Congress debate possible military action over the Syrian regime's alleged use of chemical weapons, risk exacerbating an increasingly deteriorating security environment inside Iraq. Cleric Wathiq al-Batat, who leads the Mukhtar Army, a shadowy Iranian-backed militia, said his forces are preparing for a strong reaction against the interests of the U.S. and other countries that take part in any Syria strike. He claimed that militants have selected hundreds of potential targets, which could include both official American sites and companies "associated with the Americans." "There is a good level of coordination with Iran on this issue and I cannot reveal more. But I can say that there will be a strong response," he told The Associated Press. "Each armed group will have duties to carry out." Al-Batat was a senior official in Iraq's Hezbollah Brigades, which is believed to be funded and trained by Iran's Revolutionary Guard. He rose to greater prominence earlier this year when the group he claims to lead issued threats against Sunni residents in parts of Baghdad. He later claimed responsibility for deadly rocket attacks on a Baghdad-area camp housing Iranian dissidents opposed to the clerical regime in Tehran. Iraq's government is officially neutral on the Syrian civil war and it has called for a negotiated political solution. Iraq's Shiite leadership has bolstered ties with Shiite heavyweight Iran in the years since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, and it is concerned about the threat posed by Sunni extremists, including Iraq's al-Qaida branch, fighting among the rebels FILE - In this file photo taken on Friday, Aug. 2, 2013, Iraqi Hezbollah scouts parade with a portra …Other Iraqi Shiite militias with ties to Tehran are talking tough, including the Hezbollah Brigades, which has claimed responsibility for previous attacks on U.S. troops in Iraq. It said recently that American and allied interests "must be removed from the region." Asaib Ahl al-Haq, an Iranian-backed hard-line faction that also carried out deadly attacks against U.S. troops before their withdrawal, said in a statement this week that action against Syria "will set the region on fire. The interests of the Western countries will not be saved from this fire." A senior Asaib Ahl al-Haq official said multiple armed groups within Iraq are "fully prepared to respond to any strike on Syria by attacking the interests of the countries that participate in this strike, including the United States," although he declined to specify any potential targets. The Asaib Ahl al-Haq official, who refused to be identified, fearing retribution, said the militias are awaiting instructions from Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on the timing and method of any attacks. U.S. Embassy spokesman Rodney Ford did not address the threats specifically, saying he can't comment on intelligence matters. "We have long-standing concerns about Iran's destabilizing influence in the broader region and will continue to work with our partners to address these activities," he said, without elaborating. Iranian officials in Tehran did not return calls seeking a response on Friday. FILE - In this file photo taken on Sept. 12, 2012, photo, an Iraqi soldier stands guard next to a po …The Wall Street Journal reported in its Friday edition that the U.S. has intercepted an order from Gen. Ghasem Soleimani, the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard's elite Quds Force, telling Iraqi militias to prepare to strike American interests inside Iraq. The Journal report quoted unnamed American officials, who said the U.S. Embassy was one potential target. The Quds Force oversees external operations of the Guard throughout the world. One senior Iraqi intelligence official said authorities have indications that militants are planning responses against American interests and other targets, but he declined to provide details. Another top intelligence official said that Iranian-backed militants have the ability to target sites such as the U.S. Embassy with rockets. Both officials insisted on anonymity because they weren't authorized to discuss intelligence matters. Ali al-Moussawi, the spokesman for Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, said Iraq remains concerned about a possible military strike on Syria and reactions to it might bring in Iraq and the wider region. He was unable to provide details about any threats against the U.S. Embassy but said the government takes seriously its responsibility to protect diplomatic missions and other American interests. "Our reaction will be strong and firm. The Iraqi government will not tolerate any groups that might be involved in such attacks, which are considered an aggression on Iraq's sovereignty," he said. John Drake, an Iraq specialist for the British-based AKE security consulting firm, said Iranian-backed militants could respond to a Syria strike by attacking consular facilities with roadside bombs or indirect fire such as rockets and mortar shells. "Indirect fire is often used as a tactic against facilities which are otherwise well defended," he said. It can also be very inaccurate, hitting unintended targets, he noted. FILE - In this file photo taken on Sept. 21, 2012, Iraqis chant slogans as they hold posters of Iran …Western oil and gas facilities in Iraq's southern Shiite heartland might also be potential targets, although an attack on the lucrative energy sector "would harm the Iraqi government, which is something Tehran would want to avoid," he said. The latest threats emerged as the U.S. State Department released an updated travel alert warning that Americans remain at high risk for kidnapping and terrorist attacks inside Iraq. The alert did not specifically address the risks from Iranian-backed militants, although it noted that numerous insurgent groups are active and said "terrorist activity and sectarian violence persist in many areas of the country at levels unseen since 2008." Violence in Iraq has been accelerating since April, with more than 4,000 killed in terrorist attacks over the past five months. Sectarian tensions that are fueling the violence are being exacerbated by the civil war in Syria. Mainly Sunni rebels there are fighting to topple President Bashar Assad's Iranian-backed regime, which is dominated by Alawites, an offshoot of Shiite Islam. ___ Follow Adam Schreck on Twitter at www.twitter.com/adamschreck Re-upping my latest #HizballahCavalcade: "Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada Emerges" --Updates on this Shia militia in #Syria http://jihadology.net/2013/09/09/hizballah-cavalcade-kataib-sayyid-al-shuhada-emerges-updates-on-the-new-iraqi-shia-militia-supplying-fighters-to-syria/ … ========== Home » Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq » Hizballah Cavalcade: Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada Emerges: Updates on the New Iraqi Shia Militia Supplying Fighters to Syria Hizballah Cavalcade: Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada Emerges: Updates on the New Iraqi Shia Militia Supplying Fighters to SyriaNOTE: For prior parts in the Hizballah Cavalcade series you can view an archive of it all here. – Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada Emerges: Updates on the New Iraqi Shia Militia Supplying Fighters to Syria By Phillip Smyth (psmyth@jihadology.net) Click here for a PDF version of this post Figure 1: A KSS member salutes the group’s flag. When Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada (KSS) first announced their presence to the world, little was known about the organization, its leadership, or its force size. Funerals the group held for three of its fallen fighters in May not only announced the group’s existence, but also pointed to a strong link with Iran. However, following these funerals, little was heard from the group. Nevertheless, it would appear that starting in August the organization has fully redeveloped its messaging and online propaganda. This campaign has included well-organized and professional group funerals for members killed fighting in Syria, brand new and far-less amateurish imagery, and the introduction of some more unique features in KSS’s propaganda. Even the group’s uniforms have undergone a type of remake, featuring the KSS’s logo and patches showing their fighter’s commitments to “Defending Sayydiah Zaynab”. The group has also been more open when it came to the numbers of its fighters deployed to Syria. In an Al-Sharqiya interview held with KSS’s information office, the group claimed to have sent 500 members to Syria.[1] Public announcements by the group have also established that since July, KSS has deployed a number of combat units to more rural zones around Damascus, particularly the frontlines in East Ghouta. Additionally, via official websites belonging to the Badr Organization Military Wing, it is possible that a closer relationship exists between KSS and the Badr Organization. Since Badr did not announce its involvement in Syria until July, 2013, this may be a signal that KSS was used as a front group to send Badr fighters to Syria. In terms of a social media presence, KSS has tried to reinvent itself. When the group’s more private group page was removed from Facebook, the organization simultaneously established a new Facebook page and more private profiles to disseminate photos and other information about the group. Since August, KSS has posted 1-4 unique new photographs of their activities in Syria. Additionally, other pro-Shia militia-in-Syria Facebook pages have re-posted their photographs. Social media stature aside, the group’s rapid public growth, increased professionalism, combat deployments, and growing presence in Iraq—beyond its original base in Basra, demonstrates KSS as a rapidly growing Shia militia force. It is likely KSS will continue to announce its militant activities in Syria. The Fighters The fighters of Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada appear to be uniformed with clear identifiable insignia. The combatants carry arms which are familiar to other Shia militia groups, particularly the PKM machine gun, RPG-7s, Kalashnikov-type assault rifles, and the popular SVD-style sniper rifle. KSS fighters have also been photographed with anti-material sniper rifles. Figure 2: A KSS fighter with a customized Kalashnikov-type rifle and an SVD style sniper rifle. Figure 3: A KSS fighter poses with a mortar. Figure 4: A KSS fighter poses on rubble with an SVD style sniper rifle. Note the KSS logo patch. Figure 5: A KSS fighter holds an RPG-7. Figure 6: KSS fighters pose with a PKM machine gun. Figure 7: A small unit of KSS fighters holding a mixture of Kalashnikov type rifles, an SVD style sniper rifle, and a PKM machine gun Figure 8: This KSS fighter appears to be holding a Steyr HS .50 style, .50 caliber bolt action anti-material sniper rifle. The rifle could also be an Iranian copy of the HS .50. Figure 9: Diya Issawi’s brother (left), pictured in a white turban of commonly found with Shia clerics. He was listed by KSS Figure 10: KSS members “Enjoy a simple modest lunch”. This photo was issued by the group to demonstrate the humility of their fighters. The KSS’s New Martyrs On August 20, a main Facebook page which publishes information about Shia militia operations and deaths in Syria, claimed that Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada was operating in East Ghouta. During their operations in the area, the page reported three fighters as killed-in-action, with another five missing (listed in the post as, “Fate unknown”). On August 24, KSS released eight martyrdom announcements in the form of more professionally designed graphics. The photographs were first released on the KSS and then the Badr Organization Military Wing’s official Facebook page. The posted images presumably show the eight fighters who were killed or who were missing in East Ghouta, in Rif Dimashq. It is important to note that on August 21, East Ghouta was also the reported as the scene of the deadliest chemical weapons attack within Syria.[2] According to American Military University’s In Homeland Security Blog chief correspondent and chemical weapons expert, William Tucker, it is possible these KSS fighters were, “bracketing the kill box”.[3] Meaning, they had generally surrounded the area where the chemical weapons were used and then attacked any Syrian rebel elements which may have tried to breakout. However, a video emerged on September 1st showing some of the KSS fighters being killed in an assault by rebel forces. A longer video of the engagement was released on September 7th. The KSS fighters were reportedly stationed in what rebels referred to as a train station in East Ghouta. This would suggest that some of the KSS fighters may have been guarding transportation links in the area. ** Warning: Graphic Imagery ** Rebel Fighters Kill Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada Members In East Ghouta ►In the video, it is clear to see that KSS fighters openly wear the insignia for their organization during combat operations. Some KSS and possibly Hizballah fighters are shown with Shia Islamic paraphernalia. One card removed from the pocket of a dead fighter featured a stylized photo of the assassinated Hizballah terror-leader, Imad Mughniyeh.[4] Figure 11: Eight of the dead KSS members are featured on this poster. Name: Amir al-Badlawi Death Announced: September 5, 2013 Name: Muhammed Radi al-Shumaylawi Death Announced: August 24, 2013. Funeral held on August 27, 2013. Name: Al-Said Hasan ‘Ali Farhoud al-Furaydawi Death Announced: August 11, 2013 Name: Sejjad al-Shibani Death Announced: August 23, 2013, reportedly killed on August 20, 2013, funeral reportedly held on August 27, 2013. Name: Walid al-‘Abudi Death Announced: August 23, 2013, reportedly killed on August 20, 2013. Name: ‘Ali Hamza al-Deraghi al-Sadiqi Death Announced: August 23, 2013, reportedly killed on August 20, 2013, funeral reportedly held on August 27, 2013. Figure 12: Sadiqi is shown in a car with what may be another KSS member and a Kalashnikov style rifle. Figure 13: An official KSS release of Sadiqi with other KSS fighters. Name: Zulfiqar al-Raseetmawi Death Announced: August 25, 2013, reportedly killed on August 20, 2013, funeral reportedly held on August 27, 2013. Name: Muhammed ‘Abd al-Husayn al-Faridawi Death Announced: August 25, 2013, reportedly killed on August 20, 2013, funeral reportedly held on August 27, 2013. Name: Ala al-Ka’bi Death Announced: August 23, 2013, reportedly killed on August 20, 2013, funeral reportedly held on August 27, 2013. Name: Watheq Hashem al-‘Anzi Death Announced: August 23, 2013, reportedly killed on August 20, 2013, funeral reportedly held on August 27, 2013. Figure 14: An officially produced martyrdom post Name: ‘Ali Sami al-Zubaydi Death Announced: August 23, 2013, reportedly killed on August 20, 2013, funeral reportedly held on August 27, 2013. Notes: Zubaydi was one of the few KSS dead who had other photos of him in Syria uploaded to a number of pro-Shia militia Facebook pages. Figure 15: Zubaydi is pictured smoking a cigarette while sitting with another KSS fighter in Syria. Figure 16: Zubaydi is shown with other KSS fighters. Figure 17: KSS held a funeral for four of their members in Basra, Iraq on August 27, 2013. The group funeral mimicked those held by other Iranian-backed Shia groups operating in Syria. Four caskets can be seen mounted to the tops of white Chevrolet SUVs. Figure 18: The KSS honor guard surrounds a casket and flies flags belonging to the group. Figure 19: Posters of Iran’s late Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khomeini (left) and Iran’s current Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei (right) are carried by the honor guard for the August 27th funeral. Figure 20: The KSS honor guard holds posters in honoring their fallen and the Ayatollahs Khomeini and Khamenei. Figure 21: An Iraqi Shia woman strikes a grief pose in between two SUVs carrying the caskets of KSS’s dead. The poster behind the woman features 11 KSS fighters who were killed in Syria. The Ayatollah Khamenei is also shown on this poster. Figure 22: Iraqi Shia women are shown grieving next to the convoy of SUVs carrying Muhammed ‘Abd al-Husayn al-Faridawi’s casket. Figure 23: The convoy of KSS dead driving through Iraq’s Diyala Province. According to analyst Aymenn Jawad al-Tamimi, this convoy was reported by pro-Iraqi Sunni protest pages as having taken place in Meqdadiya. Figure 24: Another shot of the group funeral for four of KSS’s members. Gruesome Uploads: KSS Promotes Their Kills ** Warning: Graphic Imagery ** One unusual feature found in KSS’s photographic propaganda from June-August, 2013 has been the group’s images featuring dead anti-Assad fighters. Compared to other Iraqi Shia organizations which have contributed fighters, KSS has posted a disproportionate amount of images promoting their “Kills” in relation to photographs of their own fighters. The posting of graphic images of dead Syrian rebels has actually been a growing trend with the group since the first image-posts by KSS appeared online on various social media outlets. In fact, the only film purporting to show KSS fighters in Syria actually showed them standing over and inspecting their dead foes. In a number of these photos, KSS militiamen are shown putting their feet on the faces of dead rebel militants. In some cases, captions for some of the more gruesome photographs mocked dead rebel fighters. One of the photographed dead rebels, whose torso had been ripped open and internal organs were exposed, had “Hahaha” written for the photo caption. Other graphic photos (note: These have not been included) have shown a rebel’s brain spilling from his head. Captions often included accusations that dead rebels were nothing but, “Saudi terrorists”. Figure 25: A KSS fighter stand next to dead rebels. Figure 26: Another photo of a KSS fighter placing his foot on the face of a dead rebel fighter. Note the black headband often worn by Sunni Islamist elements. Figure 27: A KSS member’s boot is shown pressed against a dead rebel’s face. Figure 28: A KSS member steps on the face of a dead rebel fighter. Figure 29: KSS fighters pose with Syrian rebels they have killed. Figure 30: A collection of dead rebels is claimed by KSS. Figure 31: A KSS photo showing numerous dead rebels. Figure 32: KSS fighters pose with a man they claim was a rebel fighter. Khamenei, Hakim, Khomeini & Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada Unlike other Iraqi Shia organizations which have sent fighters to Syria, the main—generally the only—religious figure the KSS has featured on its propaganda imagery has been that of Iranian Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei. In some instances, Ayatollah Khomeini is shown. This is a sharp contrast from groups such as Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq, which has shown Iraq’s late Grand Ayatollah Muhammed Sadiq Sadr along with Khamenei. In fact, only one KSS poster has shown an Iraqi clerical leader other than Khamenei or Khomeini, Ayatollah Muhammed Baqir Hakim. Hakim was instrumental in the formation of the Badr Brigade, which today has morphed into the Badr Organization (see section below for possible KSS connections to the Badr Organization). Figure 33: A KSS fighter holds the group’s flag as he and other KSS fighters look into the sky. In the sky, Khamenei smiles down at them. The Zaynab shrine’s golden dome can be seen by Khamenei. Figure 34: Khamenei is shown waving to KSS fighters as they stand in front of the golden dome of the Zaynab shrine. Figure 35: Khamenei and Khomeini smile down on three KSS fighters who were killed in Syria. Figure 36: Martyrdom poster for Hadi Jasm al-’Azawi. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei is shown on the right. Ayatollah Muhammed Baqir al-Hakim, the pro-Iranian founding member and leader of the Badr Brigade, is shown on the left. The Badr Connection Another development which started in late-July, 2013 was the appearance of growing links between Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada and Iraq’s Badr Organization. Around this time, the Badr Organization formally announced it had sent forces to Syria. The Badr Organization Military Wing’s official Facebook page has not only published a number of KSS deaths, but has also posted special photographs implying possible joint Badr-KSS cooperation in Syria. Making the connection more unique was the fact that other Iranian-backed Shia organizations operating in Syria have not published similar styles of photos. The Badr Organization Military Wing has also published many KSS announcements regarding deaths of KSS fighters. Figure 37: An official KSS poster released on the Badr Organization Armed Wing’s Facebook page. This could suggest that the fighters found in Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada have some type of connection to the Badr Organization’s Armed Wing. Figure 38: A Badr Organization Military Wing photo showing a fighter and featuring the combined symbols of the Badr Organization and KSS. Figure 39: Another photo showing militiamen and a combined KSS-Badr Organization logo. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [1] See: http://www.alsharqiya.com/?p=67524, August 27, 2013. [2] See: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/10256236/Syrian-opposition-claims-1300-killed-in-chemical-attack.html, August 21, 2013. [3] Personal conversation, August 27, 2013. [4] H/T to othm_ali and @pettybooshwah for sending me videos of rebel operations which killed the KSS fighters. ==========================