Overview

Abu Fadak Al-Mohammedawi is the chief of staff of Iraq’s Shiite-led Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), or Hashd al-Shaabi, an umbrella group for the Iran-backed Iraqi militias.“Iraq: PMF Names Muhandis’ Successor,” Asharq Al-Awsat, February 22, 2020, https://aawsat.com/english/home/article/2144071/iraq-pmf-names-muhandis%E2%80%99-successor. Prior to his appointment, Mohammedawi served as the secretary-general of Iran-backed Iraqi Shiite militia Kata’ib Hezbollah (KH), one of the units of the PMF.“Iraq’s PMF appoints new deputy head as successor to Al-Muhandis,” Middle East Monitor, February 21, 2020, https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20200221-iraqs-pmf-appoints-new-deputy-head-as-successor-to-al-muhandis/. The PMF has also grown into a powerful political force in Iraq as members of the umbrella group hold the most seats in Iraqi parliament.“AP Explains: Who are Iraq’s Iran-backed militias?,” Associated Press, December 31, 2019, https://apnews.com/57a346b17d6da07ae732ba1437520fd2.

Mohammedawi, whose real name is Abd al-Aziz Malluh Mirjirash al-Muhammadawi, entered the Iraqi paramilitary scene in the 1980s, when he served as an aide to Hadi Amri, the head of the Badr Organization. Mohammedawi was assigned intelligence tasks, and during this time, became close to Major General Qassem Soleimani, the former head of Iran’s Quds Force, who was later killed in a U.S. led airstrike on January 3, 2020.“Iran-related Designations and Designations Updates; Counter Terrorism Designation,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, January 13, 2021, https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/financial-sanctions/recent-actions/20210113; “Iraq: PMF Names Muhandis’ Successor,” Asharq Al-Awsat, February 22, 2020, https://aawsat.com/english/home/article/2144071/iraq-pmf-names-muhandis%E2%80%99-successor.; Julian Berger and Martin Chulov, “US kills Iran general Qassem Suleimani in strike ordered by Trump,” Guardian, January 3, 2020, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jan/03/baghdad-airport-iraq-attack-deaths-iran-us-tensions.

It is suspected that Mohammedawi joined KH in 1997, and quickly became a part of its inner core in carrying out operations against Saddam Hussein’s government.Suadad al-Salhy, “Iran and Najaf struggle for control over Hashd al-Shaabi after Muhandis's killing,” Middle East Eye, February 16, 2020, https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/iran-and-najaf-struggle-control-over-hashd-al-shaabi-after-muhandis-killing. Mohammedawi made a name for himself throughout KH due to his military capability and his ability to work well with other militias throughout the PMF.“Iraq’s Shia Militias Name Successor to Official Slain in US Strike Alongside Soleimani – Reports,” Sputnik News, February 21, 2020, https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/202002211078372097-iraqs-shia-militias-name-successor-to-official-slain-in-us-strike-alongside-soleimani---reports/. Additionally, it is suspected the Mohammedawi commanded the militia’s forces in the fight against ISIS in both Iraq and Syria.“Iraq’s Shia Militias Name Successor to Official Slain in US Strike Alongside Soleimani – Reports,” Sputnik News, February 21, 2020, https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/202002211078372097-iraqs-shia-militias-name-successor-to-official-slain-in-us-strike-alongside-soleimani---reports/.; “Successor to killed Iraq militia chief Al Muhandis named,” The National, February 21, 2020, https://www.thenational.ae/world/mena/successor-to-killed-iraq-militia-chief-al-muhandis-named-1.982433.

According to Al Arabiya, Mohammadawi briefly left KH due to an issue regarding a ransom payout following KH’s kidnapping of Qatari hunters in 2015. However, following orders from Soleimani in October of 2019, Mohammadawi returned to KH, presumably under the role of secretary-general.“Meet ‘the uncle’ Abu Fadak, the new head of Iran-backed PMU militias in Iraq,” Al-Arabiya, February 22, 2020, https://english.alarabiya.net/en/features/2020/02/22/Who-is-Abu-Fadak-the-uncle-al-Mohammadawi-the-new-head-of-PMU-militias-.html. There is speculation that Mohammedawi was linked to the December 2019 attack on the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, as the phrase “the uncle passed through here,” was found on the embassy’s walls. Mohammedawi is often called “uncle” among his associates.“Meet ‘the uncle’ Abu Fadak, the new head of Iran-backed PMU militias in Iraq,” Al-Arabiya, February 22, 2020, https://english.alarabiya.net/en/features/2020/02/22/Who-is-Abu-Fadak-the-uncle-al-Mohammadawi-the-new-head-of-PMU-militias-.html. Additionally, Iraqi activists consider Mohammedawi as being responsible for attacks against protesters on the Sinak Bridge and al-Khilani Square on December 7, 2019.“Meet ‘the uncle’ Abu Fadak, the new head of Iran-backed PMU militias in Iraq,” Al-Arabiya, February 22, 2020, https://english.alarabiya.net/en/features/2020/02/22/Who-is-Abu-Fadak-the-uncle-al-Mohammadawi-the-new-head-of-PMU-militias-.html.; Falih Hassan and Alissa J. Rubin, “Protesters Killed and Cleric’s House Bombed in Deepening Iraqi Chaos,” New York Times, December 7, 2020, https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/07/world/middleeast/iraq-al-Sadr-bombed.html.

Following the death of KH’s commander and former PMF’s deputy chairman, Jamal Jaafar Ibrahimi a.k.a. Abu Mahdi al-Mohandes, by the same U.S.-led airstrike that killed Soleimani, PMF restructured the group’s leadership. The position of deputy chairman was replaced by chief of staff. After weeks of negotiations among PMF officials, on February 21, 2020, Mohammedawi was appointed as the new chief of staff.“Iraq: PMF Names Muhandis’ Successor,” Asharq Al-Awsat, February 22, 2020, https://aawsat.com/english/home/article/2144071/iraq-pmf-names-muhandis%E2%80%99-successor. Mohammedawi was a close associate of Ibrahimi. He is a follower of vilayat-e faqih, or guardianship of the jurist, the Khomeinist doctrine that calls for a single religious cleric to lead the government. Additionally, sources claim that Mohammedawi “does not move without a fatwa.”Suadad al-Salhy, “Iran and Najaf struggle for control over Hashd al-Shaabi after Muhandis's killing,” Middle East Eye, February 16, 2020, https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/iran-and-najaf-struggle-control-over-hashd-al-shaabi-after-muhandis-killing.

On February 10, 2023, Mohammedawi met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Aleppo. Details of the talks were limited, but the Institute for the Study of War noted that it may have been a sign that Iran and its proxies could be establishing military efforts in northern Syria.Zachary Coles, Annika Ganzeveld, Nicholas Carl, and Frederick W. Kagan, “Iran Update, February 16, 2023,” Institute for the Study of War, February 16, 2023, https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/iran-update-february-16-2023. A leaked U.S. intelligence document reviewed by the Washington Post in May 2023 also claimed that Iran and its proxies were reportedly able to target U.S. troops in Syria through the smuggling of weapons and ammunition through humanitarian aid earmarked for the region following a disastrous earthquake that killed tens of thousands in February 2024. The classified report reportedly implicated Mohammedawi in the scheme.Alex Horton, Mustafa Salim and Steve Hendrix, “Iran hid weapons among earthquake aid to target U.S. troops, leak says,” Washington Post, May 7, 2023, https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/05/07/iran-syria-weapons-leaked-documents/.

A year later, on January 28, 2024, militants from the Islamic Resistance of Iraq (IRI)—an umbrella group comprising multiple Iran-backed Shiite militias—launched a drone strike on Tower 22, a U.S. outpost in Jordan. On January 30, KH announced it would suspend military and security operations against U.S. forces to “prevent embarrassment of the Iraqi government.”Timour Azhari, “Iraq's Kataib Hezbollah says it suspends attacks on US forces,” Reuters, January 30, 2024, https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/iraqs-kataib-hezbollah-suspends-military-operations-us-forces-statement-2024-01-30/. In response, U.S. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby claimed that KH supported the militants who carried out the attack and dismissed KH’s claims of suspended operations, stating the group cannot be taken at face value.Natasha Bertrand, Oren Liebermann and Haley Britzky, “Drone that killed US soldiers in Jordan followed American drone onto base, causing confusion,” CNN, January 29, 2024, https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/29/politics/us-soldiers-deaths-jordan/index.html; Jon Gambrell, Aamer Madhani, and Zeke Miller, “US pins blame for deadly drone strike on Iran-backed militias in the Islamic Resistance in Iraq,” Associated Press, January 31, 2024, https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-us-navy-mideast-tensions-israel-hamas-red-sea-6d5662d09aad8aed0875025b75928ef5; Jane Arraf, “Who are the Iranian-backed militias attacking U.S. forces in Jordan, “Who are the Iranian-backed militias attacking U.S. forces in Jordan,” NPR, January 29, 2024, https://www.npr.org/2024/01/29/1227695808/who-are-the-iranian-backed-militias-attacking-u-s-forces-in-jordan; Dan Sabbagh, “Jordan drone strike: who are Islamic Resistance in Iraq and what is Tower 22?,” Guardian (London), January 29, 2024, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/jan/29/jordan-drone-strike-who-are-islamic-resistance-in-iraq-and-what-is-tower-22; C. Todd Lopez, “3 U.S. Service Members Killed, Others Injured in Jordan Following Drone Attack,” U.S. Department of Defense, January 29, 2024, https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/3659809/3-us-service-members-killed-others-injured-in-jordan-following-drone-attack/. Given Mohammedawi’s position as PMU chief of staff, the periodical the Hill noted that it is likely he ordered the attack on Tower 22.Jonathan Sweet and Mark Toth, “Biden should know by now why his message to Iran isn’t getting through,” Hill, February 8, 2024, https://thehill.com/opinion/national-security/4454113-biden-should-know-by-now-why-his-message-to-iran-isnt-getting-through/.

The attack on Tower 22 occurred in the midst of the Hamas-Israel war, which was launched in October 2023 after Hamas’s October 7 terrorist attack on Israel. Since then, Mohammedawi has been vocal on the ongoing violence in the Gaza Strip. During a Quds Day march in Tehran on April 5, 2024, Mohammedawi appeared alongside Ziad al-Nakhalah, head of the terrorist group Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) and stated that the “PMF is a fundamental part of the battle in Gaza and Palestine.”Amir al-Kaabi, Hamdi Malik, Michael Knights, “Iraqi PMF Chief of Staff Commits to Fulfill Iranian Supreme Leader's Plans,” Washington Institute for Near East Policy, April 8, 2024, https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/iraqi-pmf-chief-staff-commits-fulfill-iranian-supreme-leaders-plans.