[{"command":"openDialog","selector":"#drupal-modal","settings":null,"data":"\u003Cdiv class=\u0022ds-1col clearfix\u0022\u003E\n\n  \n\n  \n  \u003Cp\u003EQatar-based Al Jazeera has not carried a lengthy piece on AAH. The longest discussion on the group appeared in a June 2014 article titled \u201cMapping Iraq\u2019s fighting groups.\u201d The three paragraph synopsis described AAH as a \u201cmilitia group that fought US forces\u201d that now has \u201cpolitical representation in the Iraqi parliament.\u201d\u003Cspan class=\u0022footnote\u0022\u003EAlaa Bayoumi and Leah Harding, \u201cMapping Iraq\u2019s fighting groups,\u201d Al Jazeera, June 27, 2014, \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/news\/middleeast\/2014\/06\/mapping-out-iraq-fighting-groups-201462494731548175.html\u0022\u003Ehttp:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/news\/middleeast\/2014\/06\/mapping-out-iraq-fighting-groups-201462494731548175.html\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/span\u003E Other Al Jazeera articles have described AAH as a \u201chardline Shia group\u201d and \u201cparamilitary organization\u201d (April 2014),\u003Cspan class=\u0022footnote\u0022\u003EBarry Malone, \u201cIraq braces for more election violence,\u201d Al Jazeera, April 26, 2014, \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/news\/middleeast\/2014\/04\/iraq-braces-more-election-violence-201442618366267579.html\u0022\u003Ehttp:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/news\/middleeast\/2014\/04\/iraq-braces-more-election-violence-201442618366267579.html\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/span\u003E and a \u201cShia militia\u201d (February 23, 2015).\u003Cspan class=\u0022footnote\u0022\u003ESuadad al-Salhy, \u201cSunni boycott threatens reconciliation efforts in Iraq,\u201d Al Jazeera, February 23, 2015, \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/news\/2015\/02\/sunni-boycott-threatens-reconciliation-efforts-iraq-150223091549767.html\u0022\u003Ehttp:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/news\/2015\/02\/sunni-boycott-threatens-reconciliation-efforts-iraq-150223091549767.html\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/span\u003E On February 25, 2015, Al Jazeera carried an opinion piece in which Washington Institute for Near East Policy fellow Michael Knights referred to AAH as an \u201cIranian-backed\u2026terror group.\u201d\u003Cspan class=\u0022footnote\u0022\u003EMichael Knights, \u201cKirkuk foreshadows challenges for a post-ISIL Iraq,\u201d Al Jazeera, February 25, 2015, \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/indepth\/opinion\/2015\/02\/kirkuk-foreshadows-challenges-post-isil-iraq-150224094753681.html\u0022\u003Ehttp:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/indepth\/opinion\/2015\/02\/kirkuk-foreshadows-challenges-post-isil-iraq-150224094753681.html\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EAsharq al-Awsat\u003C\/em\u003E, a pan-Arab daily based in London, has also failed to cover AAH in depth. In January 2011, \u003Cem\u003EAsharq al-Awsat\u003C\/em\u003E carried a report describing AAH as a \u201cShiite insurgent group in Iraq\u201d and mentioned its history of attacks on U.S. and Iraqi forces. Revealing information from \u201cinformed sources,\u201d \u003Cem\u003EAsharq al-Awsat\u003C\/em\u003E reported that AAH had allegedly threatened Muqtada al-Sadr, the leader of a powerful Iraq-based Shiite movement from which AAH broke away. The report detailed AAH\u2019s close relationship with Iran, but stressed possible complications for Iran on the al-Sadr\u2014AAH divide. \u003Cem\u003EAsharq al-Awsat\u003C\/em\u003E quoted an anonymous source as saying, \u201cWhilst al-Sadr follows [Grand Ayatollah] Kazem al-Haeri as his religious marja, Khazali follows [Grand Ayatollah] Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi.\u201d\u003Cspan class=\u0022footnote\u0022\u003E\u201cAl-Sadr fled to Iran due to assassination fears,\u201d \u003Cem\u003EAsharq al-Awsat\u003C\/em\u003E (London), January 26, 2011, \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.aawsat.net\/2011\/01\/article55247760\/al-sadr-fled-to-iran-due-to-assassination-fears\u0022\u003Ehttp:\/\/www.aawsat.net\/2011\/01\/article55247760\/al-sadr-fled-to-iran-due-to-assassination-fears\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAn October 2013 piece in \u003Cem\u003EAsharq al-Awsat\u003C\/em\u003E followed the al-Sadr\u2014AAH story, reporting that al-Sadr had \u201cprohibited his supporters from engaging in confrontations with [AAH].\u201d Surprisingly, the Arab paper quoted AAH spokesman Ahmed al-Assadi numerous times. Al-Assadi reportedly assured \u003Cem\u003Eal-Awsat\u003C\/em\u003E that \u201cThe issue has been resolved in a tribal manner and apart from that nothing has happened recently.\u201d\u003Cspan class=\u0022footnote\u0022\u003EHamza Mustafa, \u201cIraq: Sadr avoids confrontation with Asa\u2019ib Ahl Al-Haq,\u201d \u003Cem\u003EAsharq al-Awsat\u003C\/em\u003E (London), October 29, 2013, \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.aawsat.net\/2013\/10\/article55320761\/iraq-sadr-avoids-confrontation-with-asaib-ahl-al-haq\u0022\u003Ehttp:\/\/www.aawsat.net\/2013\/10\/article55320761\/iraq-sadr-avoids-confrontation-with-asaib-ahl-al-haq\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EArab news sources in English rarely produce original content containing information on AAH, opting instead to republish Reuters and AFP articles that briefly mention the group alongside other Shiite militias. However, opinion pieces carried by Saudi-owned news outlets such as Al Arabiya and Arab News are passionately critical of AAH. In an August 2014 Al Arabiya opinion piece, Jordanian journalist Raed Omari stacked AAH alongside al-Qaeda and ISIS: \u201cI wonder why it is that the Iraqi Asaib Ahl al-Haq (League of the Righteous) has not been labeled a terrorist organization\u2026 Terrorism is terrorism\u2026 ISIS, the Nusra Front, Asaib Ahl al-Haq and the Syrian regime are all terrorist groups, responsible for mass killings, torture and crimes against humanity.\u201d\u003Cspan class=\u0022footnote\u0022\u003ERaed Omari, \u201cWhat\u0027s the difference between ISIS and Asaib Ahl al-Haq?,\u201d Al Arabiya, August 31, 2014, \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/english.alarabiya.net\/en\/views\/news\/middle-east\/2014\/08\/31\/What-s-the-difference-between-ISIS-and-Asaib-Ahl-al-Haq-.html\u0022\u003Ehttp:\/\/english.alarabiya.net\/en\/views\/news\/middle-east\/2014\/08\/31\/What-s-the-difference-between-ISIS-and-Asaib-Ahl-al-Haq-.html\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/span\u003E Similarly, Arab News carried a March 2015 opinion piece in which Lebanon-based Diana Moukalled furiously wrote, \u201cWhat is even more galling here is that these people will then insist that\u2026Asa\u2019ib Ahl Al-Haq or any of these other groups Iran supports offer \u2018less harrowing\u2019 alternatives to [ISIS],\u201d bashing both ISIS and Tehran.\u003Cspan class=\u0022footnote\u0022\u003EDiana Moukalled, \u201cIran\u2019s insane propaganda,\u201d Arab News, March 4, 2015, \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.arabnews.com\/columns\/news\/713231\u0022\u003Ehttp:\/\/www.arabnews.com\/columns\/news\/713231\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\n","dialogOptions":{"minWidth":850,"resizable":true,"modal":true,"title":"Arab Media"}},{"command":"doFootnotes"}]