US designates ex-Kataib Hizbollah Secretary-General as 'global terrorist'

The United States has designated former Secretary-General of the Iranian-backed Kataib Hezbollah militia group as a global terrorist, informed the US State Department on Wednesday.

"Today the United States is designating Abd al-Aziz Malluh Mirjirash al-Muhammadawi - also known as Abu Fadak - as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) pursuant to Executive Order 13224," the release said. "Muhammadawi is the former Secretary-General of Kataib Hezbollah (KH), a US-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization and SDGT."

The State Department said Kataib Hezbollah wants to advance Iran's "malign agenda" in the region and is responsible for numerous terrorist attacks in Iraq.

"In addition, KH has reportedly been involved in recent and widespread theft of Iraqi state resources and the killing, abduction, and torture of peaceful protesters and activists in Iraq," the release said.

Muhammadawi is also working in conjunction with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps - Qods Force to reshape official Iraqi state security institutions, the release said.

"Iran-backed elements, including those in which Muhammadawi now plays a leadership role, have previously been involved in sectarian violence, including the abductions of hundreds of men from areas liberated from ISIS [Islamic State terror group, banned in Russia] control," the release said.

Groups with which Muhammadawi is affiliated have established fictitious cover names to hide their culpability for ongoing attacks against Iraqi government facilities and foreign diplomatic facilities, the release added.