The group "Saraya Awliya al-Dam" has emerged as one of the most prominent Iraqi factions involved in the US-Israeli war on Iran .
It has claimed dozens of strikes and attacks on targets it says are "American" across various areas of Iraq , most notably in Baghdad and Erbil.
It has also claimed other attacks in Syria , Jordan, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia.
Although little is known about the group, new information from Iraqi security sources confirms it is linked to the faction "Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada", led by Hashim Binyan al-Sarraji, known as Abu Alaa al-Walaei.
It has also coordinated with other factions, most notably Kataib Hezbollah, in carrying out some recent operations and attacks on US sites.
These include bases, locations, hotels, and civilian and military facilities, according to sources who spoke to The New Arab .
They said that "Saraya Awliya al-Dam can be considered an ideologically driven elite force that believes in the Wilayat al-Faqih doctrine".
On Tuesday, 24 March, the group claimed a series of attacks it said it carried out over the past 22 days in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan, and Syria using drones.
This marked its first claim of attacks launched from inside Iraq against targets it alleged were American in neighbouring countries.
The announcement was made via the Al-Jamaa'ah platform, alongside the publication of video footage showing some rocket launches—Al-Jamaa'ah is the name of the group and its platform.
Some of the footage appeared to show launches originating from underground tunnels inside Iraq.
Al-Jamaa'ah said the operations were carried out "in revenge" for the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
In a statement, Al-Jamaa'ah said it carried out 11 attacks against targets in Saudi Arabia; 11 attacks in Syria; 19 attacks in Jordan; eight attacks in Kuwait; 55 attacks on the Kurdistan Region in northern Iraq; and 31 attacks on Camp Victory in Baghdad, adjacent to the international airport.
According to Al-Jamaa'ah, a total of 136 attacks were carried out over the past 22 days.
This faction first appeared in 2020 after the killing of Iranian Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani and Popular Mobilisation Forces leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis (real name, Jamal Jaafar) in January of that year.
No political or military figures have been publicly associated with the group, often relying on masked operatives. Iraqi factions have adopted the practice of creating such names to avoid targeting known faction sites.
They have also done so to prevent the emergence of new identifiable figures within what is referred to as the "Iraqi resistance".
Notably, these newer factions, including and most prominently "Saraya Awliya al-Dam", have previously carried out attacks on US bases, the city of Erbil, airports, and Iraqi military headquarters.
They serve as a direct cover for Iranian strikes.
Video releases issued periodically suggest the group possesses tunnels across several provinces.
These are particularly on the outskirts of Baghdad, the Karbala desert, the outskirts of Babil, and in Wasit province.
There are also fewer tunnels in areas on the outskirts of Nineveh, specifically near the city of Erbil, in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region.
The group also has, according to sources who spoke to The New Arab , "sources of information from within security agencies and officials in Iraq ."
"They have penetrated security decision-making rooms, including the Joint Operations Command. This includes the presence of Americans and advisers from the international coalition. It is therefore aware of everything happening in the country at the level of foreign and American movements," the sources claimed.
The sources added that "the group previously announced the completion of the withdrawal of US and NATO forces from Camp Victoria near Baghdad airport. This was before the relevant authorities, or even the government, made such an announcement. This indicates that it is deeply embedded in negotiations, discussions, and security decisions."
Despite pressure on the Iraqi government from regional actors and the United States to control this group and other "Iraqi resistance" forces, the government has been unable to do so.
A former member of parliament said that "the government failed to communicate with Iraqi factions during the recent war, except through non-political channels".
"It reached the truce announced by Kataib Hezbollah for five days, which was extended for another five days. However, it is unable to control or find a way to communicate with groups such as Saraya Awliya al-Dam," he said.
"The Iraqi government is in a difficult position, facing increasing US pressure, alongside pressure from neighbouring countries. This is due to Iraqi territory becoming a source of threat," the former MP added.
"The government is attempting to arrest members of these groups to reassure the US side that the measures taken are effective," he said. "However, Saraya Awliya al-Dam cannot be controlled because it is less clearly defined than other factions. It uses its resources to strengthen its members and capabilities while also creating further opportunities for concealment through the construction of tunnels."
For his part, Iraqi affairs researcher Abdullah al-Rikabi told The New Arab, "Saraya Awliya al-Dam is composed of elite fighters and engineers within Iraqi factions".
"They were brought together by a joint decision and with Iranian backing to carry out specialised operations and attacks on US and coalition headquarters, bases, and targets," al-Rikabi said.
"As an elite force, most operations carried out by the Iraqi resistance outside the country are undertaken by this group. This includes strikes in Jordan, Syria, Kuwait, and the Gulf," he added.
"All Iraqi factions that adopt the resistance slogan and carry out such actions have key members within this group", adding that "its funding comes from Iran, as well as receiving donations from traditional factions, including weapons, rockets, money, or vehicles," he said.
In recent months, Iraq has witnessed an escalation in attacks using drones and rockets. These have targeted military and security sites. At times, they have targeted areas near residential neighbourhoods or civilian facilities.
This escalation comes amid ongoing tensions between Washington and Tehran .
Armed factions carry out attacks on sites linked to the US presence. They also target Iraqi military and civilian facilities. Counter-strikes target the locations of those factions. Article translated from Arabic by Afrah Almatwari. To read the original, click here .