Overview
Shaykh ‘Adnan al-Hamidawi is a Specially Designated National by the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the special operations commander of Kata’ib Hezbollah (KH), an Iranian-sponsored, Shiite militia operating in Iraq with ancillary operations throughout Syria.“Treasury Designates Vast Network of IRGC-QF Officials and Front Companies in Iraq, Iran,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, March 26, 2020, https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sm957.
It is suspected that in 2019, al-Hamidawi coordinated ways in which to intimidate Iraqi politicians who did not support the removal of U.S. forces from Iraq.“Treasury Designates Vast Network of IRGC-QF Officials and Front Companies in Iraq, Iran,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, March 26, 2020, https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sm957. Additionally, it is alleged that al-Hamidawi planned attacks against U.S. and coalition forces in Iraq.Jeff Seldin, “US Increases ‘Maximum Pressure’ on Iran,” Voice of America, March 26, 2020, https://www.voanews.com/middle-east/voa-news-iran/us-increases-maximum-pressure-iran.
On March 26, 2020, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated al-Hamidawi as a specially designated national for providing support to or acting on behalf of KH.“Treasury Designates Vast Network of IRGC-QF Officials and Front Companies in Iraq, Iran,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, March 26, 2020, https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sm957.
Associated Groups
- Extremist entity
- Kata’ib Hezbollah
- Read Threat Report
- Type(s) of Organization:
- Militia, religious, terrorist, transnational, violent
- Ideologies and Affiliations:
- Iranian-sponsored, Islamist, jihadist, Khomeinist, Shiite
- Position(s):
- Special operations commander
KH is a U.S.-designated anti-American Shiite militia operating in Iraq with ancillary operations in Syria. During the U.S.-led war in Iraq that began in 2003, KH earned a reputation for planting deadly roadside bombs to attack U.S. and coalition forces.
History
United States
The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control designated Shaykh ‘Adnan al-Hamidawi as a Specially Designated National on March 26, 2020.“Treasury Designates Vast Network of IRGC-QF Officials and Front Companies in Iraq, Iran,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, March 26, 2020, https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sm957.
Daily Dose
Extremists: Their Words. Their Actions.
In Their Own Words:
We reiterate once again that the brigades will directly target US bases across the region in case the US enemy commits a folly and decides to strike our resistance fighters and their camps [in Iraq].
Mar. 2023