After the drone attack that killed three American soldiers on Sunday in northeastern Jordan, near the Syrian and Iraqi borders, the United States blamed
"radical fighter groups backed by Iran
"
operating
in Syria and in Iraq.
Affiliated with the former pro-Iran paramilitaries Hachd al-Chaabi, these factions enjoy an essential political role in Iraq, cultivating rhetoric highlighting their hostility to the United States and their engagement with what Iran calls
"the axis of resistance”
against Israel and Washington.
The United States has promised
“consequential”
retaliation for the attack in Jordan.
Iran has denied any involvement.
Factions of the “Axis of Resistance”
The attack in Jordan presents the same
modus operandi
as the rocket attacks and drone strikes carried out since mid-October against American soldiers and those of the international coalition engaged against the jihadist group Islamic State (IS), in Iraq and in Syria.
Illustrating an explosive regional context, these attacks - 165 in total - are a repercussion of the war in Gaza opposing Israel and Palestinian Hamas since October 7.
Most were claimed by the
“Islamic Resistance in Iraq”
, a nebula of fighters from pro-Iran groups who say they are acting in solidarity with the Palestinians and are demanding the departure from Iraq of some 2,500 American soldiers deployed in Iraq as part of the anti-IS coalition.
In retaliation, Washington targeted the Hezbollah Brigades and Al-Noujaba, two groups which display their participation in the actions of the
“Resistance”
, also including the Sayyed al-Shuhada Brigades.
Classified as
“terrorist”
by Washington, these factions claim to be part of
the “axis of resistance”
, alongside Lebanese Hezbollah, the Yemeni Houthis and Hamas.
They also have fighters engaged in their own name in the conflict in Syria, in support of the regime, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Tuesday evening, the Hezbollah Brigades announced
“suspend”
their military operations against American troops after threats of retaliation from the United States,
“in order to avoid any embarrassment to the Iraqi government”
.
More than 160,000 members
These groups are formally affiliated with Hachd al-Chaabi -Popular Mobilization-, a coalition of ex-paramilitaries launched in June 2014 to support Iraqi forces against IS.
Its creation responded to the fatwa of Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the highest Shiite religious authority in Iraq, calling for
“jihad”
against IS.
In 2016, a law integrated the Hachd into the regular forces, under the orders of the Prime Minister.
The Hashd will contribute to the defeat inflicted on ISIS in 2017 by Iraq, supported by the anti-jihadist coalition led by Washington.
It drew its numbers from armed Shiite groups who fought, after the 2003 invasion, against American forces.
During the war against ISIS, new armed groups were founded and trained by Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, senior commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards killed in an American strike in Baghdad in January 2020. Today the Hashd includes dozens of groups and more than 160,000 members according to estimates.
Neither the authorities nor the organization communicate on the number of its staff.
Over the years, several leaders emerge.
Notably Abou Mehdi al-Mouhandis, former opponent who once took refuge in Iran and Iraqi lieutenant of Qassem Soleimani.
He was killed with the latter.
Diversified Hachd activities
The attacks embarrassed the Iraqi government of Mohamed Chia al-Soudani, brought to power by a coalition of pro-Iran Shiite parties and a parliamentary majority including the Hashd which has had deputies since 2018. Mohamed Chia al-Soudani condemned attacks against the international coalition and stressed the government's commitment to protecting foreign troops.
However, the explosive context pushed him to initiate discussions with Washington for a withdrawal timetable according to Baghdad.
Its pro-Iran parliamentary majority welcomed this process, just as it condemned the rocket attacks in December against the American embassy.
In addition to their political role, Hachd groups strive to diversify their activities.
Cultivating their soft power, they have television channels, produce films or television series.
The government, which wants to modernize infrastructure, has entrusted Hachd with the management of a public works company, founded at the end of 2022 with capital of around $68 million.
The “Al-Mouhandis”
company
includes
“industrial projects, mining, large-scale agricultural projects”
, and
“the importation of equipment”
, according to the Washington Institute, an American think tank.