The United States has announced a reward of up to $10 million for information on Akram Abbas al-Kabi, founder and leader of Harakat al-Nujaba, an Iran-aligned armed group in Iraq.

Dr. Pshtiwan Faraj  | Sulaimani, Iraq | 08 May 2026 --Washington escalates pressure on Iran-backed armed groups in Iraq as regional conflict deepens and drone attacks intensify across the Kurdistan Region.

In a public notice, the US State Department described Harakat al-Nujaba as “an Iran-aligned terrorist militia group in Iraq,” adding that its members “have attacked U.S. diplomatic facilities in Iraq as well as U.S. military bases in Iraq and Syria, killing a U.S. contractor and wounding U.S. servicemembers.”

The announcement came as Iraqi and Kurdish leaders gathered in Baghdad to discuss the formation of a new federal cabinet, nearly six months after parliamentary elections. Washington is reportedly seeking to ensure that Tehran-affiliated politicians are excluded from positions in the incoming government.

“If you have information on al-Kabi, send it to us via our Tor tipline or text us on Signal. You could be eligible for relocation and a reward,” the notice said.

The move reflects continued US pressure on Baghdad to curb the influence of Iran-backed armed factions. American officials have repeatedly urged the Iraqi government to rein in groups operating within state-linked security structures, including the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF).

“There has been much talk in recent days by the chargé d'affaires of the American embassy, spreading corruption and evil, and directly inciting the Zionist entity against the sacred weapons of the honorable Islamic Resistance in Iraq. Unfortunately, some whose worldly interests have blinded them have now become loyal to these criminals," Kabi said in a statement on Wednesday.

He added that handing over the weapons of the Iran-affiliated "resistance" is a "red line." 

The announcement also comes amid heightened regional tensions. The United States and Israel launched a widescale aerial campaign against Iran on February 28, prompting Tehran to respond with drone and missile strikes across the Middle East, including against US and Israeli-linked targets.

Iran-aligned Iraqi armed groups have also played a role in the escalation. Several factions operating under the umbrella of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq have claimed responsibility for attacks targeting US interests in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region. These include Kata’ib Hezbollah, Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq, Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada, and Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba.

According to figures released by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in late April, at least 809 drones and missiles targeted the Kurdistan Region between February 28 — when the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran began — and April 20.

“Despite the neutral stance adopted by the Kurdistan Region, it nonetheless suffered 20 martyrs,” the KRG’s Department of Media and Information said in a report.

Iran-backed armed factions in Iraq claimed responsibility for many of the attacks on the Kurdistan Region.

According to the KRG, the attacks were carried out “on different and unfounded pretexts.”

Updated at 1:19 with Kabi's statement. 

In a public statement, the State Department described Harakat al-Nujaba as:

“An Iran-aligned terrorist militia group in Iraq.”

The notice accused the group of participating in attacks on:

• US diplomatic facilities in Iraq,
• American military installations in Iraq and Syria,
• and operations that resulted in the death of a US contractor and injuries to American servicemembers.

The announcement reflects growing US concern over the expanding role of Iran-backed armed factions inside Iraq’s political and security structures, particularly as Baghdad attempts to form a new federal government months after parliamentary elections.

Washington’s Message to Baghdad

The timing of the reward announcement is highly significant.

As Iraqi and Kurdish political leaders gathered in Baghdad to negotiate the formation of a new cabinet, Washington reportedly intensified efforts to limit the influence of Tehran-aligned political factions within the incoming government.

For years, American officials have pressured successive Iraqi administrations to curb the power of armed groups operating under the umbrella of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), many of which maintain deep operational and ideological ties with Iran.

The United States increasingly views these militias not only as local Iraqi actors but as extensions of Iran’s regional strategy across the Middle East.

The State Department’s unusually direct language underscored this position.

“If you have information on al-Kabi, send it to us via our Tor tipline or text us on Signal. You could be eligible for relocation and a reward.”

The offer mirrors tactics previously used against extremist organizations and internationally designated militant leaders, signaling that Washington is intensifying efforts to isolate key commanders inside Iraq’s Iran-aligned resistance networks.

Al-Kabi Rejects Calls to Disarm

In response, Akram al-Kabi sharply criticized the United States and rejected demands for disarmament.

In a statement issued Wednesday, Kabi accused American officials of:

• spreading corruption,
• inciting Israel,
• and targeting what he described as the “sacred weapons” of Iraq’s Islamic Resistance.

He declared that surrendering the weapons of Iran-backed armed factions represented a:

“Red line.”

His comments reflect the broader ideological posture of many Iran-aligned militias in Iraq, which frame themselves as resistance movements against both American influence and Israeli regional power.

Regional Conflict Is Fueling the Escalation

The announcement comes amid one of the most dangerous periods of regional instability in recent years.

Following the large-scale US-Israeli aerial campaign against Iran launched on February 28, Tehran responded with missile and drone attacks targeting US and Israeli-linked interests across the region.

Iran-aligned Iraqi armed factions quickly became involved in the confrontation.

Several groups operating under the umbrella of the so-called Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed responsibility for attacks targeting:

• American interests in Iraq,
• military infrastructure,
• and sites inside the Kurdistan Region.

Among the groups involved:

• Kata’ib Hezbollah
• Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq
• Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada
• and Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba itself.

The Kurdistan Region Caught in the Crossfire

According to figures released by the Kurdistan Regional Government in late April, at least 809 drones and missiles targeted the Kurdistan Region between February 28 and April 20.

The KRG stated that:

• despite maintaining neutrality during the broader regional conflict,
• the Kurdistan Region still suffered significant casualties,
• including 20 deaths.

Officials argued that many attacks were carried out under:

“Different and unfounded pretexts.”

The escalation highlights the increasingly fragile position of the Kurdistan Region, which has attempted to avoid direct involvement in the growing confrontation between the United States, Israel, Iran, and Iran-backed militias.

Yet Kurdish territory continues to function as a strategic arena where regional rivalries increasingly intersect.

Iraq’s Growing Strategic Dilemma

The crisis also exposes Iraq’s broader political dilemma.

Baghdad remains caught between:

• its strategic relationship with Washington,
• deep economic and political ties with Tehran,
• and the expanding autonomy of Iran-backed armed factions operating inside Iraqi territory.

For the United States, weakening militia influence is increasingly viewed as essential to preserving regional deterrence and protecting American interests.

For Iran and its allied factions, however, the militias remain central pillars of the regional “Axis of Resistance.”

As tensions continue escalating across the Middle East, Iraq risks becoming an even more dangerous battleground for proxy confrontation.

The $10 million reward for Akram al-Kabi therefore represents more than a security measure — it signals a broader geopolitical struggle over Iraq’s future orientation, sovereignty, and regional role.

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