What to Know:
The pro-Iranian Shia militias of Faylaq al-Wa’ad al-Sadiq and Ashab al-Kahf have pledged to continue attacks against American forces in the region. This comes as Kataib Hezbollah announced it would suspend its operations against the United States as retaliatory strikes in response to Sunday’s deadly drone attack in Jordan are expected in the coming days.
Who is Ashab al-Kahf?
Ashab al-Kahf is a relatively small, pro-Iranian militia group that has carried out several attacks against coalition convoys and the United States Embassy in Baghdad following the killing of IRGC General Qassam Soleimani in 2020 by a American drone strike.
In July, Ashab al-Kahf was involved with the storming of the Swedish Embassy in Baghdad in response to Quran burnings that took place in Stockholm.
In a statement, the group said “The operations of the Islamic Resistance are continuing, with God’s help and support for the Mujahideen, and will continue to target the American and Zionist occupiers.”
“All resistance factions are independent in their decisions, and each faction has its own method and opinion, but they agree in approach and thought. Some sick and weak souls do not try to enter the swamp of labor to create a dispute among the resistance masses, as their path is blocked, with God’s help,” it added.
Ashab Al Kahf in a newly released statement vows to continue the military actions against #US presence in Iraq and also expresses its gratitude for Herekat Al Nujaba for the support it has given to AH.
They also welcomed the decision of Kataib #Hezbollah to suspend the attacks pic.twitter.com/JgQshz8lFO— Jihadi Monitor-OSINT (@JihadiInt) February 1, 2024
Who is Faylaq al-Wa’ad al-Sadiq?
Faylaq Waad al-Sadiq is another relatively small, pro-Iranian militia group loosely affiliated with Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces (PMU). The group primarily operates in Iraq, as well as having a limited presence in Syria.
To date, there is no indication that the group has participated in attacks against American forces.
In a statement, the group said “We appreciate the position of some resistance factions that suspended their military operations, in order not to put the Iraqi government in embarrassment as a result of American threats to withdraw support for them and bring them down,” in reference to Kataib Hezbollah’s statement.
“However, for our part, as the True Promise Corps, we announce our continuation of the military operations that… The Zionist entity and the American occupation forces target wherever it goes in the region, out of our belief that the Palestinian issue is the supreme cause of the Islamic nation, until the aggression stops.”
“The Mujahideen of the True Promise will not tolerate the Zionists and… The Americans and the British, and we will continue to target them whenever God enables them in any geography. Our absolute belief is that the fate of the Islamic peoples in Iraq, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen is one fate, and this stems from our duty and our legitimate mandate to resist the occupation,” the statement added.
[Alleged] PMU-affiliated Faylaq al-Wa'ad al-Sadiq militia group announces that they respect "some of the resistance factions' decision" on halting their operations, BUT, they continue targeting Israel and US forces in the region. #Iraq ?? pic.twitter.com/0jrwZW1KFg
— Aleph ? (@no_itsmyturn) January 31, 2024
So What?
These statements are likely for show, especially with Ashab al-Kahf, who often pledge to carry out attacks against American interests in Iraq that never happen.
However, considering the current state of the region, these groups could potentially start to carrying out attacks to maintain pressure on American forces, however, their capabilities are limited and would likely be restricted to rocket and IED attacks.
Ultimately, these statements highlight the complexities of militia groups in the region and who choose to operate independently. Since Kataib Hezbollah announced it would suspend operations against American forces in the region, there have been no attacks by any Iran-backed militias in the region, including Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba.
It will be interesting to see if Faylaq al-Wa’ad al-Sadiq and Ashab al-Kahf try and attempt to attack American forces or if the statements are just for show. If anything, the American Embassy in Baghdad would likely be the primary target.