Washington Allocates $10 Million to Track Leaders of Armed Groups in Iraq

America Announces $10 Million Reward for Information on Abu Alaa Al-Walai

The United States announced today, Friday, April 24, 2026, a financial reward of up to $10 million for information that helps locate the leader of the Sayyid al-Shuhada Brigades, known as "Abu Alaa Al-Walai," as part of the "Rewards for Justice" program of the U.S. State Department.

U.S. Accusations Against Sayyid al-Shuhada Brigades for Targeting Civilians and Diplomatic Facilities

The U.S. State Department clarified that Hashim Fanyan Rahim Al-Saraji, known as "Abu Alaa Al-Walai," leads the "Sayyid al-Shuhada Brigades," which is part of the Popular Mobilization Forces in Iraq.

According to the U.S. statement, members of the group are involved in the killing of Iraqi civilians, as well as carrying out attacks targeting U.S. diplomatic facilities inside Iraq, in addition to attacks on military bases and American personnel in Iraq and Syria.

Similar Reward for the Capture of Hezbollah Brigades Leader Ahmed Al-Hamidawi

In a related context, the U.S. State Department announced the previous week a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the capture of Ahmed Al-Hamidawi, the leader of the "Hezbollah Brigades" in Iraq.

The department also published a photo of him for the first time as part of the "Rewards for Justice" program, noting that the group is involved in the kidnapping of American citizens and killings targeting Iraqi civilians.

Washington confirmed that Al-Hamidawi played a pivotal role in planning attacks dating back to 2007.

Additional Reward of $3 Million Regarding Diplomatic Attacks in Iraq

The U.S. State Department also announced a reward of up to $3 million for any information related to attacks targeting U.S. diplomatic facilities in Iraq.

This announcement comes amid a series of attacks on the U.S. embassy in Baghdad, the consulate in Erbil, and the diplomatic support center in the capital during various periods.

Rising Security Tensions Between Washington and Armed Factions in Iraq

Reports indicate that these developments come amid rising tensions between the United States and some armed factions in Iraq, especially after the outbreak of war between the United States and Israel on one side and Iran on the other.

Sources also reported that Washington recently suspended security coordination with Baghdad, accusing Iraqi government entities of providing cover for some militias and failing to hold accountable the factions involved in attacks against American interests.

The Popular Mobilization Forces and Armed Factions in the Iraqi Scene

It is worth noting that Iraq includes several Shiite armed factions supported by Iran, which operate within the Popular Mobilization Forces, a formation established after the fall of Mosul to ISIS in 2014, aimed at supporting Iraqi forces in confronting armed organizations.