The United States State Department has announced a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the identification or location of Hashim Finyan Rahim al-Saraji, also known as Abu Alaa al-Walai, leader of the Iran-backed Iraqi armed group Kataeb Sayyid al-Shuhada (KSS), which Washington designates as a terrorist organisation.
The announcement was made on Thursday, April 24, 2026, through the State Department’s Rewards for Justice programme.
US officials said they are seeking credible information on al-Saraji’s whereabouts, with eligible informants potentially receiving financial compensation and relocation assistance.
Washington accused KSS of involvement in attacks that killed Iraqi civilians and targeted US diplomatic facilities in Iraq, as well as strikes on American military personnel and bases in Iraq and Syria.
Al-Saraji is reported to hold a position within Iraq’s Coordination Framework, the Shiite political alliance that currently controls a parliamentary majority.
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Iran-backed militias in Iraq have repeatedly been linked to attacks on US interests, including the American embassy in Baghdad, sites near Baghdad International Airport, and oil infrastructure operated by foreign companies, deepening ongoing security tensions.
The move comes amid heightened regional instability following a US-Israeli strike on Iran on February 28, 2026, which escalated tensions across the Middle East, including Iraq.
Earlier this month, Washington issued a similar reward for the leader of Kataeb Hezbollah, another Iran-aligned Iraqi militia accused by US authorities of attacks on American interests, including the kidnapping of journalist Shelly Kittleson, who was released after about a week.
The US has also increased pressure on Baghdad to curb pro-Iran armed groups, including reported suspension of cash transfers and freezing of security assistance funding, according to US media reports.
The latest reward reflects Washington’s ongoing effort to dismantle leadership networks of Iran-aligned militias operating within Iraq’s volatile security landscape.