US designates four Iran-aligned militias as terrorist organizations

PHOTO CAPTION: Illustrative photo — Shia militia fighters are seen alongside Kurdish peshmerga forces during an offensive against the Islamic State group, Sept. 1, 2014. REUTERS/Youssef Boudlal

WASHINGTON  - The Unites States designated four Iran-aligned militia groups as foreign terrorist organizations on Wednesday, the State Department said.

The groups are Harakat al-Nujaba, Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada, Harakat Ansar Allah al-Awfiya and Kata’ib al-Imam Ali, the department said in a statement. All four have been previously cited as Specially Designated Global Terrorists and Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada in 2023, it said.

"Iran-aligned militia groups have conducted attacks on the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad and bases hosting U.S. and Coalition forces, typically using front names or proxy groups to obfuscate their involvement," Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in the statement.

The United States considers Iran the world's leading sponsor of state terrorism.

 (Reporting by Maiya Keidan; Editing by Doina Chiacu // REUTERS)