Commander of the Military Wing of Hezbollah Iraq Killed

Wathiq al-Battat, the Secretary-General of Hezbollah Iraq and commander of its military wing, which is supported by the Islamic Republic of Iran, has been killed in Diyala province in eastern Iraq. The 'Kata'ib al-Jaish al-Mukhtar' military unit confirmed al-Battat's death in a statement on Sunday, December 30. While the statement from 'Kata'ib al-Jaish al-Mukhtar' claims that al-Battat was killed during an armed confrontation alongside his sons with 'Takfiri forces' in Diyala province, an Iraqi Interior Ministry official told Al-Quds Al-Arabi newspaper that al-Battat's death was the result of an assassination attempt by ISIS forces in the 'Al-Azim' area of Diyala. Images of al-Battat's body have been circulated in media associated with Sunni armed groups, who are enemies of Hezbollah Iraq. Twitter accounts linked to the 'Islamic State' (formerly ISIS) welcomed al-Battat's death, claiming it was the result of their operations, although the 'Islamic State' has not officially claimed responsibility. 'Kata'ib al-Jaish al-Mukhtar' was established in February 2013 to 'assist the Iraqi government in fighting terrorist groups' and specifically declared its goal to combat the 'Free Iraqi Army.' At the time of 'Kata'ib al-Jaish al-Mukhtar's formation, the Shiite government of Nouri al-Maliki and later Haider al-Abadi had not yet reached the peak of their struggle against extremist Sunni armed groups in the country. According to some reports, al-Battat, despite announcing cooperation with the Iraqi government, was briefly detained by the Iraqi government eleven months ago but returned to the path of joint struggle against Sunni groups without an official announcement regarding his release. Many observers of Iraqi affairs believe that al-Battat played a role in escalating the crisis in the country by making very harsh statements against Sunnis in Iraq. The 41-year-old commander of 'Kata'ib al-Jaish al-Mukhtar' had established close relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran and had traveled to Iran several times. Reports indicate that 'Kata'ib al-Jaish al-Mukhtar' has been supported by the Quds Force, the foreign arm of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, since its inception and received weapons from it. Al-Battat himself confirmed in an interview with the Associated Press that he received military equipment from Iran and 'other support' from Tehran and received 'military guidance' from the Quds Force. Al-Battat, who operated in clerical attire, emphasized that he is a follower of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Reuters had previously reported that al-Battat confirmed in an interview with them that his forces were responsible for a rocket attack on the Liberty Camp in Iraq, where the remnants of the Iranian Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization were transferred. The name 'Kata'ib al-Jaish al-Mukhtar' was also mentioned due to a mortar attack on eastern Saudi Arabia; al-Battat claimed responsibility for this attack as a 'warning to the treacherous Saudi rulers.' Diyala province shares a border with Iran. Iran seeks to prevent Islamic State fighters from approaching its borders, making the role of 'Kata'ib al-Jaish al-Mukhtar' in this area highly significant. Hossein Dehghan, the Iranian Minister of Defense, confirmed in an interview last Friday that Iran is assisting the Iraqi army in its fight against Sunni 'Islamic State' fighters through 'providing weapons and military advice.'