Kata'ib Hezbollah is an Iraqi jihadist formation that believes, as it states, in the principles of Islam that reject oppression and support the oppressed, while also refusing exclusion and takfir on any religious, sectarian, or ethnic basis.
The movement was founded in 2003, after the U.S. occupation of Iraq, with its main goal being the liberation of the country. It was formed from several brigades, including the Ali Al-Akbar Brigades, the Karbala Brigades, and the Abu Al-Fadl Abbas Brigade, later uniting under the name "Kata'ib Hezbollah Iraq." The prominent leaders of the brigades include Abu Hussein Al-Hamidawi, who serves as the Secretary-General, and the spokesperson Mohammad Mohyi, with Abu Ali Al-Askari being one of its prominent leaders. The brigades have affiliated institutions that vary between academic and service-oriented entities, such as the Al-Sabil Al-Wadih Foundation, the Al-Hadaf Center for Studies, the Academic Elites Foundation, the Zainabiyat Foundation, and the Mosques and Husainiyat Authority.
Kata'ib Hezbollah has engaged in numerous military operations that have changed the course of events on the battlefield, participating in the liberation of Jurf Al-Nasr north of Babel in Operation "Ashura", breaking the siege of the town of Amirli, and playing a pivotal role in the complete liberation of the Baiji district, in addition to the liberation of Fallujah, the Samarra Island, Mosul, and other operations that demonstrated the military strength and high capabilities of the movement, although it keeps its fighter numbers confidential.
Following the fatwa for obligatory jihad issued by the prominent cleric in Najaf, Sayyid Ali Al-Sistani, Kata'ib Hezbollah formed the "Popular Defense Forces," a military formation established in 2014, tasked with defending Iraq and its sacred sites, and preventing the terrorist organization ISIS from occupying the country.
Kata'ib Hezbollah has several goals as stated on its official website, which serves as its media spokesperson:
- To demonstrate the role of the brigades and the resistance and to cement its culture in shaping the future of the country after all it has contributed to confronting the U.S. occupation of Iraq and the subsequent fight against ISIS and terrorist organizations.
- To confront and expose the projects of major oppressive states and their tools disguised under various names to conceal their objectives.
- To defend the rights of Iraq and maintain its unity.
- To strive to achieve a majority capable of making radical changes to the Iraqi constitution through democratic means.
- To seek to achieve security and development by investing in human resources and assisting them in reaching decision-making centers and leading the state.
It is noteworthy that the United States classified Kata'ib Hezbollah as a terrorist organization due to the significant influence and effective role it played on the Iraqi battlefield, listing it as a part of its terrorism list in 2009.
