US Offers $10M Reward for Iraqi Militia Leader Linked to Attacks

US Offers $10M Reward for Iraqi Militia Leader Linked to Attacks

The United States State Department has announced a $10 million reward for information leading to the capture or identification of a senior Iraqi militia leader accused of involvement in attacks on American and allied targets in the Middle East.

The reward targets Hashim Finyan Rahim al-Saraji, who is identified as the leader of the Iran-backed armed group Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada (KSS), which Washington designates as a terrorist organisation.

The announcement was made through the U.S. State Department’s Rewards for Justice programme, which stated that individuals who provide credible information on al-Saraji’s whereabouts may also be eligible for relocation assistance in addition to the financial reward.

U.S. authorities say the group has carried out attacks on U.S. diplomatic facilities in Iraq, including sites in Baghdad, as well as strikes on American military bases and personnel in both Iraq and Syria. Washington also accuses KSS of involvement in violence against Iraqi civilians, describing it as part of a wider network of Iran-aligned militias operating across Iraq and the region.

Al-Saraji is also linked to Iraq’s powerful Coordination Framework, a Shiite political alliance that holds significant influence in the country’s parliamentary system.

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The reward forms part of a broader U.S. strategy of increasing pressure on Iran-backed militias in Iraq, which Washington says continue to destabilise the country and threaten regional security. In recent months, the United States has urged Baghdad to tighten financial controls, restrict militia funding, and improve oversight of security-related spending.

The move follows similar action earlier this month when Washington offered a reward for a commander linked to Kataib Hezbollah, another Iran-aligned armed group operating in Iraq.

Iraq remains a key flashpoint in wider U.S.–Iran tensions, with multiple armed groups operating alongside official state security forces. Although the country has seen relative stability in recent years, the continued presence of powerful militias outside full government control remains a major security and governance challenge.

These armed groups have previously been accused of targeting the U.S. embassy in Baghdad, the diplomatic zone at Baghdad International Airport, and foreign-owned energy installations in Iraq.

There has been no immediate response from KSS or Iraqi authorities regarding the U.S. announcement. However, similar reward offers and sanctions measures have previously been criticised by militia-linked political actors in Iraq, who often describe them as interference in domestic affairs.

Analysts say the latest move reflects Washington’s broader approach of combining financial incentives, intelligence gathering, and sanctions pressure to disrupt militia networks across the Middle East.

US Offers $10M Reward for Iraqi Militia Leader Linked to Attacks