US Offers Money for Information About Militia Leader
US Offers Money for Information About Militia Leader
Introduction
The United States Department of State wants to find a man. His name is Hashim Finyan Rahim al-Saraji. He is the leader of a group called Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada (KSS). The US says this group is a terrorist group. The US will give up to $10 million for information about this man.
Main Body
On April 23, the US State Department asked for help on social media. They want information about al-Saraji. People who give information can get money and a new home. US officials say KSS members killed Iraqi people. They also attacked US buildings in Iraq. They attacked US soldiers in Iraq and Syria. The US called al-Saraji and KSS terrorists in November 2023. In September 2025, the US called KSS a foreign terrorist group. This lets the US use more tools to fight them. The group KSS gets help from Iran. It fights in Iraq and Syria. The group grew after 2014 when the Islamic State came to Iraq. KSS works with other groups in Iraq. Its leaders met with Qasem Soleimani. He was a dead Iranian commander. Al-Walai said he supports the Houthi group. He said KSS is part of that group. A study says KSS attacks countries like Kuwait. It attacks from places in southern Iraq. KSS also attacks the Kurdistan area of Iraq with drones and rockets. The study says the US should strike militia leaders again. This stopped attacks in early 2024. Al-Saraji has a seat in the Iraqi government. Iran-backed groups attack the US embassy in Baghdad. They also attack oil fields. This happens after a conflict started on February 28. The US and Israel attacked Iran. Iran then attacked US bases. A ceasefire was extended on Thursday. In April, the US offered a reward for another militia leader. He took a US journalist. The US stopped sending cash to Iraq. It also stopped money for security programs.
Conclusion
The US reward for the KSS leader is part of a plan. The US wants to stop Iran-backed groups in Iraq. The situation is changing. There are problems in the area. The US is putting pressure on the Iraqi government.
Vocabulary Learning
Sentence Learning
US Offers $10 Million Reward for Leader of Iran-Backed Iraqi Militia
Introduction
The United States Department of State has announced a reward of up to $10 million for information that leads to the identification or location of Hashim Finyan Rahim al-Saraji, also known as Abu Alaa al-Walai. He is the leader of the Iran-aligned Iraqi armed group Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada (KSS), which Washington has designated as a terrorist organization.
Main Body
On April 23, the State Department''s Rewards for Justice program posted on social media that it was seeking information on al-Saraji. The post stated that individuals who provide information could be eligible for relocation and a reward. US officials have claimed that KSS members have killed Iraqi civilians and attacked US diplomatic facilities in Iraq, as well as US military bases and personnel in Iraq and Syria. Al-Saraji and KSS were previously designated as Specially Designated Global Terrorists under Executive Order 13224 in November 2023. Furthermore, in September 2025, the State Department designated KSS as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, a move that unlocked additional legal and financial tools, including the ability to offer higher rewards for its leadership. According to the Counter Extremism Project (CEP), KSS is an Iraqi militia supported by and ideologically aligned with Iran''s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and has fought in both Iraq and Syria. The group expanded its presence in Iraq after the Islamic State swept through the country in 2014 and currently operates as a member of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF). The CEP emphasized that KSS works closely with other pro-Iran PMF units and its commanders have met personally with Qasem Soleimani, the deceased commander of the IRGC''s Quds Force. Al-Walai has previously announced his support for the Houthi movement and has stated that KSS is a faction of that group. An analysis by the Washington Institute for Near East Policy indicated that since the US-Iran conflict began, Iraqi militia resistance groups, including KSS through its Saraya Awliya al-Dam brand, have been targeting Gulf states, particularly Kuwait, from launch points in southern Iraq. The analysis also noted that KSS, along with Kataib Hezbollah and Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba, have attacked the Kurdistan Region of Iraq with drones and rockets. As a result, the Washington Institute suggested the US should consider using the approach from early 2024, when strikes targeting upper-level militia leaders in Baghdad stopped a series of attacks on US personnel. According to AFP, al-Saraji holds a seat in the Coordination Framework, the ruling Shiite alliance that has a parliamentary majority in Iraq. Iran-backed groups have targeted the US embassy in Baghdad, a diplomatic facility at Baghdad airport, and oil fields operated by foreign companies. This development occurs amid heightened tensions following a conflict that began on February 28, when the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran, which prompted retaliatory attacks on US bases. A fragile ceasefire was extended on Thursday. Earlier in April, the US announced a similar reward for the leader of Kataeb Hezbollah, who was accused of kidnapping US journalist Shelly Kittleson. According to US media reports, Washington has increased pressure on Baghdad by suspending cash shipments and freezing funding for security programs in Iraq.
Conclusion
The US State Department''s reward offer for the leader of Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada represents a continuation of efforts to counter Iran-aligned militias in Iraq. The situation remains dynamic, with ongoing tensions in the region and increased diplomatic and financial pressure on the Iraqi government to address the activities of pro-Tehran groups.
Vocabulary Learning
Sentence Learning
US State Department Offers Reward for Leader of Iran-Aligned Iraqi Militia Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada
Introduction
The United States Department of State has announced a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the identification or location of Hashim Finyan Rahim al-Saraji, also known as Abu Alaa al-Walai, the leader of the Iran-aligned Iraqi armed group Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada (KSS). The group has been designated by Washington as a terrorist organization.
Main Body
On April 23, the State Department''s Rewards for Justice program posted on social media that it was seeking information on al-Saraji. The post stated that individuals providing information could be eligible for relocation and a reward. US officials have stated that KSS members have killed Iraqi civilians and attacked US diplomatic facilities in Iraq, as well as US military bases and personnel in Iraq and Syria. Al-Saraji and KSS were previously designated as Specially Designated Global Terrorists under Executive Order 13224 in November 2023. In September 2025, the State Department further designated KSS as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, a move that unlocked additional legal and financial tools, including the ability to offer higher rewards for its leadership. According to the Counter Extremism Project (CEP), KSS is an Iraqi militia supported by and ideologically aligned with Iran''s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and has fought in both Iraq and Syria. The group expanded its presence in Iraq after the Islamic State swept through the country in 2014 and currently operates as a member of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF). The CEP detailed that KSS works closely with other pro-Iran PMF units and its commanders have met personally with Qasem Soleimani, the deceased commander of the IRGC''s Quds Force. Al-Walai has previously announced his support for the Houthi movement and has stated that KSS is a faction of that group. An analysis by the Washington Institute for Near East Policy indicated that since the US-Iran conflict commenced, Iraqi militia resistance groups, including KSS through its Saraya Awliya al-Dam brand, have been targeting Gulf states, particularly Kuwait, from launch points in southern Iraq. The analysis also noted that KSS, along with Kataib Hezbollah and Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba, have attacked the Kurdistan Region of Iraq with drones and rockets. The Washington Institute suggested the US should consider resurrecting the approach used in early 2024, when strikes targeting upper-level militia leaders in Baghdad stopped a sequence of attacks on US personnel. According to AFP, al-Saraji holds a seat in the Coordination Framework, the ruling Shiite alliance that has a parliamentary majority in Iraq. Iran-backed groups have targeted the US embassy in Baghdad, a diplomatic facility at Baghdad airport, and oil fields operated by foreign companies. The development occurs amid heightened tensions following a conflict that began on February 28 when the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran, prompting retaliatory attacks on US bases. A fragile ceasefire was extended on Thursday. Earlier in April, the US announced a similar reward for the leader of Kataeb Hezbollah, who was accused of kidnapping US journalist Shelly Kittleson. According to US media reports, Washington has increased pressure on Baghdad by suspending cash shipments and freezing funding for security programs in Iraq.
Conclusion
The US State Department''s reward offer for the leader of Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada represents a continuation of efforts to counter Iran-aligned militias in Iraq. The situation remains dynamic, with ongoing tensions in the region and increased diplomatic and financial pressure on the Iraqi government to address the activities of pro-Tehran groups.