Shia militias across the Middle East send condolences to Hezbollah Brigades

Since Sunday’s airstrikes in Syria targeting militants from the Iranian-backed Hezbollah Brigades, various Shia militias from around the Middle East have sent their condolences or support to the US-designated terrorist group.

Several militias in Bahrain were among the first to send their statements of support. Saraya al Mokhtar was the first within this group, decrying both Israel and United States as being behind the airstrikes. The group also released its new logo with the statement, a logo which adheres more closely to the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) branding.

Two other Bahraini militias also released statements, Saraya Waad Allah and Saraya al Ashtar. Saraya Waad Allah, which was behind a deadly attack on a bus near Manama last November, extended its condolences to the Iraqi group before proclaiming it is “ready to stand up in the face of the enemies for the defense of Islam.” Saraya al Ashtar, a group also espousing IRGC branding, also proclaimed its inclusion in the “axis of resistance” and unity with the Hezbollah Brigades in its statement.

Various Iraqi Shia militia groups, many of which also operate inside Syria, sent condolences and messages of support to the Hezbollah Brigades as well. Harakat al Nujaba, a militia controlled by the IRGC, said that it and the Hezbollah Brigades were “partners in blood.” Asaib Ahl al Haq condemned “the cowardly act” and added that the Iraqi militia was in Syria at the behest of the Syrian government to “combat terrorism.” It also implored the Iraqi government “to take action” against the United States for the airstrikes.

Meanwhile, Kata’ib Sayyid al Shuhada, another IRGC-backed militia, decried Israel, the United States, and the Iraqi government for the airstrikes. Harakat al Abdal, another militia that operates in both Iraq and Syria, released a video of a pro-Hezbollah Brigades demonstration in Iraq on its Facebook page. While not explicitly sending its condolences, Lebanese Hezbollah did republish the original statement from the Hezbollah Brigades on the airstrikes on its Central War Media website.

All of these groups, including the Hezbollah Brigades, consider themselves part of the “Axis of Resistance,” which refers to a network of state and non-state actors led by Iran that operates against the United States and its allies in the Middle East and beyond.

Caleb Weiss is an intern at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and a contributor to The Long War Journal.

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Shia militias across the Middle East send condolences to Hezbollah Brigades Shia militias across the Middle East send condolences to Hezbollah Brigades Reviewed by Unknown on 08:33:00 Rating: 5

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