Abbas Shield Martyrdom Forces
| Abbas Shield Martyrdom Forces | |
|---|---|
| قوات درع عباس الاستشهادية | |
| Founding leader | Karar Fatah al Subihawi |
| Dates active | 15 March 2025 – present (1 year, 5 months, 1 week and 6 days) |
| Country |  Iraq |
| Ideology | Qutbism–Khomeinism Jihadism[1] |
| Size | 40,000[2] |
| Wars | |
Abbas Shield Martyrdom Forces (Arabic: قوات درع عباس الاستشهادية, romanized: Quwat Dera'a Al-Abbas Al-Ishtishadiyah, lit. 'Abbas Shield Martyrdom Forces')[a] is a Shia Iraqi Militant group.[2]
History
Foundation
The group was formed on 15 March 2025, calling on Iraqis and Iranian-backed Popular Mobilization Forces members to join the "Jihadist Project".[1][6] It claimed on 17 March that 40,000 people have submitted membership applications. Iraqi media reported that the group's leader, Karar Fatah al Subihawi, has previously attended Popular Mobilization Forces events and was connected to Wathiq al-Battat, the former leader of Iranian-backed Iraqi militia Mukhtar Army and a senior official in Iranian-backed Iraqi militia Kata'ib Hezbollah. Subihawi reportedly remained in Damascus, Syria, after the collapse of the Assad regime to "liberate" the Sayyida Zaynab Shrine from the Syrian Interim Government.[2]
Activities
In a video clip featuring the image of the former leader of the Lebanese Hezbollah group Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah,[5] Abbas Martyrdom Shield Forces, Ya Ali Popular Formations and the Kataib Sarkhat al-Quds have threatened to take action in Syria and against the United States. The Abbas Martyrdom Forces stated it would launch "martyrdom operations" to "free Syria" and attack American interests for recent strikes upon Yemen's Houthis.[3]
The group is assumed to have connections to the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a collection of pro-Iran PMF factions, such as Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq, Kataib Hezbollah, Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba, and others. The IRI is accused of using front organizations to avoid accountability and Western retribution.[3]
In April 2025, the group recruit Christian, Sunni, Kurdish, and Shiite fighters, taking them to Syria, Yemen, Palestine and a final location that would be announced, the group also claimed an attack on the Security Forces, on the border with Lebanon, killing 4 members.[4] In March 2026, during the 2026 Iran war, the group swore allegiance to Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba, changing the name of the Telegram group to "Al-Nujaba Baghdad Al-Rusafa Office".[7]
See also
- Kataib Sarkhat al-Quds – other Iraqi faction that declared against the US attacks in Yemen and the first Syrian transitional government
- United Council of Sheikhs and Notables of Basra and Iraq - other Iraqi faction that declared against sectarian violence in Syria and the first Syrian transitional government.
Notes
- ↑ Also called Abbas Shield Martyrdom Forces Brigades and Shield Abbas Martyrdom Brigades Forces
References
- 1 2 3 "New Iraqi Armed Factions Vow to Target US Over Yemen Strikes". www.basnews.com. Retrieved 20 March 2025.
- 1 2 3 "Iran Update March 17, 2025". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 23 March 2025.
- 1 2 3 4 "New Iraqi Armed Factions Threaten Attacks Upon US And Syria". Musings on Iraq. 19 March 2025. Retrieved 22 March 2025.
- 1 2 "Recently-Formed Iraqi Shi'ite Group To Recruit Mujahideen From All Sects, Send Them To Iran For Training, Then To Syria, Yemen, And Palestine". MEMRI. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
- 1 2 "Iraq's Iran-backed militias on edge as US hits Houthis in Yemen". The Arab Weekly. Retrieved 20 March 2025.
- ↑ "New Iraqi armed factions vow "jihad" against US". Shafaq News. Retrieved 21 March 2025.
- ↑ "What happened to Abbas Shield Martyrdom Forces". 29 March 2026. Retrieved 30 March 2026.