Shafaq News- Baghdad

The Iraqi armed group Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada on Friday condemned a US decision to offer a financial reward for information leading to its secretary-general, Abu Alaa al-Walai, describing the move as politically and morally unfounded.

In a statement, the group said placing a bounty on its leader reflects a “lack of ethical grounding” and “weakness in confrontation,” arguing that public support cannot be undermined through financial incentives. It added that al-Walai’s standing “cannot be measured or diminished by such measures,” asserting that attempts to target him would only deepen rejection among his supporters.

The US Department of State, through its Rewards for Justice program, offered up to $10 million for information on Hashem Finyan Rahim al-Sarraji, also known as Abu Alaa al-Walai. Washington has previously designated both the group and its leader under counterterrorism frameworks. In November 2023, the US labeled them as Specially Designated Global Terrorists, before adding the group to its Foreign Terrorist Organization list in September 2025. US officials describe Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada as an Iran-backed Iraqi Shiite faction formed in 2013 following a split from Kataib Hezbollah, and link it to attacks targeting U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria.