The Master of Martyrs Battalions, or Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada' (KSS) ( ar, كتائب سيد الشهداء, The Battalions of the Master of Martyrs) is an Iraqi

Shia Shīʿa Islam or Shīʿīsm is the second-largest branch of Islam. It holds that the Islamic prophet Muhammad designated ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib as his successor (''khalīfa'') and the Imam (spiritual and political leader) after him, mos ...

militia formed in 2013. Its stated mission is to protect "(Shia) shrines across the globe", preserve " Iraqi unity" and to "put an end to the sectarian conflict". The group has been described as an

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...

ian proxy, and is one of the original militias that formed the

Popular Mobilization Forces The Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) ( ar, الحشد الشعبي ''al-Ḥashd ash-Shaʿbī''), also known as the People's Mobilization Committee (PMC) and the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), is an Iraqi state-sponsored umbrella organization ...

in 2014. The group has close ties to the

Badr Organization The Badr Organization ( ar, منظمة بدر ''Munaẓẓama Badr''), previously known as the Badr Brigades or Badr Corps, is an Iraqi Shia Islamist political party and military organization headed by Hadi Al-Amiri. The Badr Brigade was the Ir ...

. The group is also active in

Syria Syria ( ar, سُورِيَا or سُورِيَة, translit=Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic ( ar, الجمهورية العربية السورية, al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a Western Asian country loc ...

, where its main focus is the protection of the

Sayyidah Zaynab Mosque Sayyidah Zaynab Mosque ( ar, مَسْجِد ٱلسَّيِّدَة زَيْنَب, Masjid as-Sayyidah Zaynab) is a mosque located in the city of Sayyidah Zaynab, in the southern suburbs of Damascus, Syria. According to Twelver Shia Muslim traditio ...

in the southern suburbs of

Damascus )), is an adjective which means "spacious". , motto = , image_flag = Flag of Damascus.svg , image_seal = Emblem of Damascus.svg , seal_type = Seal , map_caption = , ...

. It militarily supports the

al-Assad The al-Assad family ( ar, عَائِلَة الْأَسَد '), also known as the Assad dynasty, has ruled Syria since General Hafez al-Assad became President of Syria in 1971 under the Ba'ath Party. After his death, in June 2000, he was succee ...

Government in the Syria Civil War, and engaged in the

Battle of Al-Shaykh Maskin The Battle of Al-Shaykh Maskin ( ar, معركة الشيخ مسكين الأولى) started with a Syrian Arab Army attempt, during the Syrian civil war in Daraa Governorate, to capture Al-Shaykh Maskin and thus secure the Daraa–Damascus ...

in December 2014 in Syria in support of the Syrian army.

References

External links

* Anti-ISIL factions in Iraq Anti-ISIL factions in Syria Iraqi involvement in the Syrian civil war Popular Mobilization Forces Pro-government factions of the Syrian civil war Shia Islamist groups Paramilitary organizations based in Iraq Islamism in Iraq 2013 establishments in Iraq Military units and formations established in 2013 Jihadist groups in Iraq Jihadist groups in Syria Anti-Zionism in Iraq Anti-Americanism Axis of Resistance Arab militant groups {{Iraq-stub

See also

References

External links