Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada

The Sayyid of Martyrs Battalions, or Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada (KSS) (Arabic: كتائب سيد الشهداء‎, The Battalion of the Sayyid's Martyrs) is an Iraqi Shia militia formed in 2013. Its stated mission is to protect "(Shia) shrines across the globe", preserve "Iraqi unity" and to "put an end to the sectarian conflict".

Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada
كتائب سيد الشهداء
Participant in the Syrian Civil War and
Iraqi Civil War (2014–2017)
Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada flag and logo
Active2013–present[1]
IdeologyShia Islamism
Wilayat al Faqih[2]
Allegiance Iraq
Group(s)
  • Liwa al-Sayyida Ruqayya (The Ja'afari Force)[3]
LeadersAbu Ala al-Walai[4]
Abu Mustafa al-Sheibani[5]
Area of operationsSaladin Governorate[6]
Damascus Governorate[1]
Daraa Governorate[1]
Size200 (December 2014)[5]
Part of Popular Mobilization Forces
AlliesState allies

Non-state allies

     Hezbollah[8]

    Opponent(s)
    Battles and war(s)Syrian Civil War
    • Battle of Al-Shaykh Maskin[10]

    Iraqi Civil War (2014–2017)

    WebsiteOfficial website

    The group has been described as an Iranian proxy, and is one of the original militias that formed the Popular Mobilization Forces in 2014. The group has close ties to the Badr Organization.[14]

    The group is also active in Syria, where its main focus is the protection of the Sayyidah Zaynab Mosque in the southern suburbs of Damascus. It militarily supports the al-Assad Government in the Syria Civil War,[1] and engaged in the Battle of Al-Shaykh Maskin in December 2014 in Syria in support of the Syrian army.[10]

    See also

    References
    1. "Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada". Tracking Terrorism. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
    2. http://www.alraimedia.com/Home/Details?Id=77461c79-a14c-4ad2-834d-80012df49570
    3. http://www.aymennjawad.org/17718/liwa-al-sayyida-ruqayya-recruiting-the-shia
    4. http://www.iraq-businessnews.com/2017/05/30/us-mulls-how-best-to-control-pro-iran-factions/2/
    5. Michael Knights (23 June 2017). "Iran's Foreign Legion: The Role of Iraqi Shiite Militias in Syria". Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
    6. http://web.stanford.edu/group/mappingmilitants/cgi-bin/groups/view/629
    7. https://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/21/world/middleeast/russia-makes-an-impact-in-syrian-battle-for-control-of-aleppo.html
    8. https://ctc.usma.edu/hizb-allahs-gambit-in-syria/
    9. https://www.dijlah.tv/index.php?page=article&id=198280
    10. "Syria Update: November 25 – December 02, 2014". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 3 December 2014.
    11. http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2016/02/iranian-backed-militia-seen-with-us-tank-in-iraq.php
    12. "Shiite militias, Iraqi forces surround Tikrit". 10 March 2015. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
    13. "The Shiite Jihad in Syria and Its Regional Effects APPENDIX 2 Understanding the Organizations Deployed to Syria" (PDF). Washington Institute for Near East Policy. February 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 25, 2016. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
    14. "Hizballah Cavalcade: Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada Emerges: Updates on the New Iraqi Shia Militia Supplying Fighters to Syria". Retrieved 10 March 2015.
    This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.