Rafid Jaboori
Rafid Jaboori is a journalist, writer and researcher. He is a former BBC World Service Reporter. He covered The Iraq War and its aftermath, the conflict in Syria, and several other events. He is an expert in militant groups in the Middle East.
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Articles by Rafid Jaboori
The Leadership and Future of Kata’ib Hezbollah
On February 26, the U.S. State Department designated Ahmed al-Hamidawi, the new secretary general of the Iraqi Shia militia, Kata’ib Hezbollah (KH), as a specially designated global terrorist (State.gov, February
Qais al-Khazali—The PMU Militia Leader Challenging the U.S. in Iraq
On December 6, the U.S. State Department announced sanctions on three Iraqi militia leaders, accusing them of killing peaceful protesters. The most prominent name among those was Sheikh Qais al-Khazali,
Calls for U.S. Troop Withdrawal From Iraq Continue as al-Amiri Emerges as Leader of PMU
The crisis in relations between the United States and Iraq’s Shia-led government has deepened over the last few weeks and especially after the killing of Iran’s top general, Qasem Soleimani,
Ashraf al-Mayar – The Face of Libyan Salafist Support for Haftar
Ashraf al-Mayar is one of the most prominent militia field commanders fighting on the side of General Khalifa Haftar in the Libyan conflict. Mayar, a Salafist from eastern Libya, was
Abu Zainab al-Lami—The Mastermind Behind the Bloody Crackdown in Iraq
The ongoing protests in Baghdad and in the predominantly Shia areas of southern Iraq are unprecedented in both their scale and the degree of violence they were confronted with by
Protests in Iraq Represent a Significant Challenge to Shia Militias
Dozens have been killed and hundreds injured in the ongoing wave of street protests in Baghdad and the predominantly Shia provinces of southern Iraq. Protesters are demanding jobs, reform, and
The Most Wanted Al-Qaeda Leaders in Syria: Abu Hammam al-Shami, Sami al-Uraydi, and Abu Abd al-Karim al-Masri
Al-Qaeda has had a bumpy relationship with the jihadists in Syria since the beginning of the civil war. The al-Nusra Front, which was the extension of the Islamic State of
An In-Depth Look at Hani Bin Burayk: The UAE’s New Master of Aden
In August, Hani Bin Burayk, the Salafist cleric and militia commander from southern Yemen, called for the full mobilization of his troops in order to take control of the city
Iraqi Prime Minister’s Decree will not Undermine Power of Iran-backed Militias
On July 1, Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi issued a decree stating that the Iran-backed Iraqi Shia militias that operate under the umbrella group of the Popular Mobilization forces (PMU)
Governor of Socotra Vows to Confront UAE Allies
In April, the governor of the Yemeni governorate of Socotra, Ramzi Mahroos, announced his vehement rejection to the formation of any militias in Socotra. He vowed to work against any
Prominent Iraqi Shia Militia Leader Arrested—The Rise and Fall of Aws al-Khafaji
Prominent Iraqi Shia militia leader Aws al-Khafaji was arrested by men from the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), the umbrella organization of the predominantly Shia armed groups. He was captured during
Alleged Coup Attempt Exposes Hazimite Faction Within Islamic State
As Islamic State (IS) was losing its last strongholds in Syria to the advancing, U.S.-backed, Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), there were reports of a coup attempt against its leader Abu
CAPTURED: Wali Jamal al-Mashhadani Reveals Inner Workings of IS
On November 29, 2018, the Iraqi National Intelligence Service (INIS) announced that it had arrested Jamal al-Mashhadani, a senior member of Islamic State (IS). Al-Mashhadani occupied senior positions in IS,
Conditions in Mosul Ripen for Return of Islamic State
Several warning calls by prominent Iraqi political parties regarding the precarious situation in Mosul have emerged. More than a year has passed since Iraq's second largest city was cleared of
Ahvaz Attack: Iran Blames U.S., Arab Rivals and Consolidates Control
A small group of gunmen attacked a military parade of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on September 22 in the city of Ahvaz in the southwest of Iran. At least
From the Inner Circle of Ahmed al-Chalabi’s INC to America’s New Specially Designated Terrorist—A Profile of Iraqi Banker Aras Habib
On May 15, the U.S. Treasury Department put the Iraqi banker, businessman, and politician Aras Habib on the list of Specially Designated Global Terrorists for his role in assisting and
Russia’s Favorite Syrian General: Tiger Forces Commander Suheil al-Hassan
The man who has the strongest Russian support in Syria might not be President Bashar al-Assad but rather one his most trusted commanders. During his visit to the Khmeimim Air
Is Islamic State Making Plans for a Comeback in Iraq?
Dozens of people have been killed in a series of attacks launched by Islamic State (IS) in locations north of Baghdad over the past few months, prompting fears that the
Three Key Players Shaping Moqtada al-Sadr’s Further Expansion Into Iraqi Politics
In the May 12 Iraqi parliamentary elections, a party led by the anti-American Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, Sa’iroon (Marching Forward), won the most seats. The electoral alliance Sa’iroon placed way
Iraq’s Shia Militias Brace for Election Battle
Buoyed by their role helping to defeat Islamic State (IS), a number of the most prominent groups from among the more than 60 that make up Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Units
Overcoming Internal Struggle in Syria: Can Hassan Soufan Revive Ahrar al-Sham?
Ahrar al-Sham (Ahrar) is one of the largest rebel groups in Syria. In December 2016, like other groups, it suffered a major blow at the hands of the forces of
Raising Saleh’s Flag in Southern Yemen: Brigadier General Tariq Saleh Attempts to Finish His Uncle’s Work
On December 2, 2017, former Yemeni President Ali Abdulla Saleh announced he was breaking his alliance with the Iran-backed Houthi rebel movement, which controls the Yemeni capital of Sana’a and
Top Badr Commander Named Iraqi Interior Minister: The Ascension of Qasim al-Araji
On January 30, Qasim al-Araji, a prominent member of the Iran-backed Badr organization, was appointed to be interior minister of Iraq (al-Arabiya, January 30). As a member of the parliament
In the Shadow of Moqtada al-Sadr: The Rise of Iraq’s Ahmed al-Sadr
Speaking to thousands of his followers in a rally in central Baghdad on March 24, the Iraqi Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr shocked the crowed by announcing that he thought that
Haiat Tahrir al-Sham Ascendant in Northwest Syria
The fall of the opposition-controlled sector of Aleppo in December last year was a major blow to Syrian rebel groups who had always asserted that they would hold their ground.
Al-Nusra’s Unlikely Ally: a Profile of Nour al-Din al-Zanki Leader Tawfiq Shahabuddin
The formation of Hai’at Tahreer al-Sham (HTS, the Levant Liberation Commission) earlier this year was the al-Nusra Front’s most successful attempt thus far to form a coalition with other rebel
Islamic State’s Deir al-Zour Offensive Puts the Syrian Regime Under Pressure
In mid-January, Islamic State (IS) fighters seemed to be retreating in the face of advancing U.S.-backed Iraqi forces in the city of Mosul in Iraq. They were also under pressure
Leading Jabhat Fateh al-Sham’s New Coalition in Syria: Who Is Hashim al-Sheikh?
On January 28, Jabhat Fateh al-Sham (JFS) — the Jabhat al-Nusrah successor group formed in July 2016, which now claims that it is no longer al-Qaeda’s branch in Syria —