Draft:Akram al-Kaabi
| Akram al-Kaabi | |
|---|---|
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| Name | Akram al-Kaabi |
| Personal Details | |
| Birth Place | |
| Teachers | Ayatollah Mohammad Sadeq al-Sadr |
| Religion | Islam |
Sheikh Akram al-Kaabi, the Secretary-General of the Al-Nujaba Movement in Iraq, was born in 1977 CE and studied at the Najaf Seminary under Ayatollah Mohammad Sadeq al-Sadr. He assumed leadership of the Mahdi Army during the Second Battle of Najaf in 2004. He played an active role in Syria and other regions in combating terrorist and Takfiri groups. He has received authorization and representation credentials for delegated religious duties from several Grand Ayatollahs, including Safi Golpaygani, Makarem Shirazi, Seyyed Kazem Hosseini Haeri, Seyyed Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi, Nouri Hamedani, and Alavi Gorgani.
Birth and Education
Akram al-Kaabi was born in 1977 and pursued his religious studies at the Hawza Najaf under Ayatollah Mohammad Sadeq al-Sadr, serving as the prayer leader of the city of Musayyib, located south of Baghdad. He later studied military sciences and strategic management before participating in the formation of Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq, during which he served as its secretary following the arrest of the movement's leader. He subsequently returned to continue his religious education and remained away from direct military engagement until the outbreak of events in Syria in 2011.
Political and Military Activities
During the regime of Saddam Hussein, prior to joining the resistance following the American invasion, Sheikh al-Kaabi was transferred to special prisons in Iraq. He assumed command of the Mahdi Army during the Second Battle of Najaf in 2004. Thereafter, he pursued studies in military sciences and strategic management before participating in the establishment of Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq, becoming its secretary-general following the arrest of Qais al-Khazali. He took a frontline role in his nascent movement, which he named the Hezbollah Al-Nujaba Movement. He was actively engaged in combating terrorist and Takfiri groups in Aleppo and other locations.
Hezbollah Al-Nujaba
The Al-Nujaba Movement is a primary faction of the Popular Mobilization Forces, established in June 2014 following the fatwa for defensive jihad issued by the religious authority Grand Ayatollah Seyyed Ali al-Sistani. Its objective was to liberate Iraq from terrorists and Takfiri elements.
Views
Unlike most Shia groups in Iraq who follow Seyyed Ali al-Sistani, Akram al-Kaabi has repeatedly declared his allegiance to Seyyed Ali Khamenei. He has stated that he would sacrifice his life if ordered by the Supreme Leader of the Iran.
US Concerns Regarding Al-Nujaba Activities
The activities of Al-Nujaba in Iraq and Syria have heightened concerns within the US regarding the movement, which is accused of assisting the Islamic Republic of Iran in circumventing economic sanctions. Consequently, the US Department of the Treasury recently announced the imposition of sanctions against the Islamic Resistance Movement Al-Nujaba of Iraq, a group comprising approximately 10,000 fighters led by Sheikh "Akram al-Kaabi". The US Department of State website explicitly stated: "Al-Nujaba Movement publicly declares its commitment and loyalty to the Iran and Ayatollah Khamenei, and Kaabi has explicitly stated that he considers the execution of all orders issued by the Supreme Leader of Iran a religious obligation." The aforementioned source further noted Iran's military and logistical support for Al-Nujaba, adding that Akram al-Kaabi has maintained close relations with Major General Qasem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and "Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah", Secretary-General of Hezbollah Lebanon, individuals previously designated as "terrorists" and sanctioned by the US Department of State. According to this report, Hojjat al-Islam wal-Muslimin Sheikh Akram al-Kaabi is listed on the US blacklist of wanted individuals.
Representative of Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi in Iraq
In this decree, it is stated: "With full knowledge of his scholarly stature, I appoint (Sheikh Akram al-Kaabi) as my representative for delegated matters, including the collection of Zakat, restitution of usurped rights (Radd al-Mazalim), unidentified properties, vows, the Share of the Imam, and funds for the Descendants of the Prophet. Furthermore, I authorize him to discretionarily allocate one-third of these funds to specified religious causes, including the Seminary." The decree of Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi continues: "Following the recommendation of our predecessors, I also advise him to maintain piety before God and to exercise caution in both private and public matters. May he not deprive us of his blessed prayers, as we too pray for him." Prior to this, the Secretary-General of the Islamic Resistance Al-Nujaba had received similar authorization from Grand Ayatollahs Safi Golpaygani, Makarem Shirazi, Seyyed Kazem Hosseini Haeri, Seyyed Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi, Nouri Hamedani, and Alavi Gorgani.
Rumors of Martyrdom
Following Operation Al-Aqsa Storm, rumors circulated that US drones had targeted a vehicle on "Abu Ghraib" street in Baghdad, resulting in the martyrdom of one of the Iraqi resistance commanders. Some sources speculated about the potential martyrdom of "Qais al-Khazali", while others identified "Akram al-Kaabi" as the target of this assassination attempt. Investigations by several informed sources indicate that these rumors are unfounded, and the resistance commanders have not been assassinated, praise be to God. Some sources report that none of the resistance commanders were present in the targeted vehicle.