The US on Monday designated Iraqi armed group Harakat Ansar Allah al-Awfiya (HAAA) and its Secretary General Haydar Muzhir Ma’lak al-Sa’idi as Specially Designated Global Terrorists, citing affiliation to Iran.

A US State Department statement said that the "HAAA is an Iraq-based Iran-aligned militia group and part of the 'Islamic Resistance in Iraq (IRI)'—a front group that includes multiple Iran-aligned terrorist and militia groups, including US-designated terrorist organizations Kata’ib Hizballah, Harakat al-Nujaba, and Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada, that have repeatedly attacked Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS forces in Iraq and Syria."

The statement also noted that the IRI has claimed responsibility for dozens of recent attacks against US military personnel in Iraq and Syria, including a January drone attack that killed three US service members at Tower 22 in Jordan.

"HAAA was involved in that attack," the statement said.

Additionally, HAAA has publicly threatened to continue attacking U.S. interests in the region and has terrorized the Iraqi people, the US said.

US ambassador to Iraq Alina Romanowski quoted the US Department of State Spokesperson statement on X platform, expressing support for the decision.

"The US Department of State's terrorist designation today of Harakat Ansar Allah al-Awfiya and its leader reaffirms the United States’ commitment to countering the malign influence of Iran and the threats posed by Iran-aligned militia groups,” she said.

Ansar Allah al-Awfia (AHHH), known as Brigade 19 in the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), is a second-tier armed faction and Iraqi government organization that has been active since 2013.

Initially emerging as a political entity called Sadaq and Ata' Movement in Maysan Province, it transitioned into a military unit within the PMF in June 2014 under the leadership of Haidar Ibrahim al-Gharawi.

The group has reportedly conducted military operations against American targets and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Northeast Syria, and has been involved in local counter-operations, including violent suppression of human rights and freedom of expression in Iraq.

Notably, in 2019, Ansar Allah al-Awfia was linked to the abduction and killing of Tishreen Movement figures and faced leadership changes due to legal pressures.

In recent years, Ansar Allah al-Awfia has remained a significant player in Iraq's political and military landscape.

The group's political front, the Sadaq and Ata' Movement, joined the Fatah Alliance in the 2018 general elections and helped form the resistance government under Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani in 2022.

The group's activities have continued to draw attention, including its involvement in meetings with Iran's Supreme Leader and its recognition by Kata'ib Hezbollah for operations against US forces and Israel. Despite leadership changes and legal challenges, Ansar Allah al-Awfia continues to influence both political and military spheres in Iraq.

The US decision comes a day after Khalid al-Yaqobi, Security Policies Advisor to Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani, criticized Tracey Jacobson, President Joe Biden's nominee for US Ambassador to Iraq, for her comments on Iran-backed militias and their influence in Iraq.

Yaqobi described Jacobson's statements as showing a clear lack of understanding of Iraq's situation and an insult to its neighbors.

Jacobson had told the Senate’s committee on foreign relations that Iran-aligned militias pose a primary threat to Iraq’s stability and sovereignty, and pledged to counter these groups if confirmed as ambassador.

This sparked backlash from Iraqi officials, including Yaqobi, who argued that her comments overstepped the diplomatic mission's boundaries.

He emphasized that the Iraqi government seeks to transition from the Global Coalition's presence to more balanced bilateral relations with the US, a sentiment driven by past US attacks on bases belonging to the PMF.

The Iraqi government maintains that the threat of ISIS has diminished, reducing the need for foreign troops in the country.