The US on Tuesday said it was offering a reward of up to $10 million for information on Kataib Hezbollah chief Ahmad Al Hamidawi.
In a statement, the Rewards for Justice programme accused Mr Al Hamidawi of directing attacks on US diplomatic facilities by Kataib Hezbollah, which is based in Iraq.
“For years, KH has repeatedly targeted US personnel and facilities in Iraq with IEDs, rockets and unmanned aircraft systems, kidnapped US citizens and killed innocent Iraqi civilians,” the statement read. “As the leader of KH, Al Hamidawi has played a central role in planning attacks against USand Iraqi government security forces since 2007.”
Kataib Hezbollah was designated as a foreign terrorist organisation in 2009. In February 2020, the State Department designated Mr Al Hamidawi as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist.
The group is believed to have been behind several attacks on US soldiers and partners, including one in 2019 in Kirkuk that killed a US civilian contractor and injured several others. The group was also behind the recent kidnapping of American journalist Shelly Kittleson.
The statement said Kataib Hezbollah members receive “extensive training, weapons and other support” from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps and Lebanese Hezbollah.
The National has reached out to the State Department for further comment.
