The Department of State today designated Harakat Ansar Allah al-Awfiya (HAAA) and HAAA Secretary General Haydar Muzhir Ma’lak al-Sa’idi as Specially Designated Global Terrorists.
HAAA is an Iraq-based Iran-aligned militia group and part of the “Islamic Resistance in Iraq (IRI)”— a front group that includes multiple Iran-aligned terrorist and militia groups, including U.S.-designated terrorist organizations Kata’ib Hizballah, Harakat al-Nujaba, and Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada, that have repeatedly attacked Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS forces in Iraq and Syria. The IRI has claimed responsibility for dozens of recent attacks against U.S. military personnel in Iraq and Syria, including the January drone attack that killed three U.S. service members at Tower 22 in Jordan. HAAA was involved in that attack. Additionally, HAAA has publicly threatened to continue attacking U.S. interests in the region. HAAA has also terrorized the Iraqi people.
The United States remains committed to using all available tools to counter Iran’s support for terrorism and to degrade and disrupt the ability of Iran-backed groups to conduct terrorist attacks.
Today’s actions are being taken pursuant to Executive Order 13224, as amended. For more information on today’s action, see the Department of State’s Fact Sheet.