Asa'|b Ah| a|-naq's L|wa'a kafee| 2aynab

8y hllllp SmyLh (psmyLh[[lhadology.neL)

I|gure 1: Cne vers|on of Asa'|b Ah| a|-naq's L|wa'a kafee| 2aynab |ogo.

I|gure 2: AAn-Lk2's symbo| features the norma| AAn |ogo w|th the words, "L|wa'a kafee| 2aynab" be|ow |t. 1h|s photo comes
from AAn-Lk2's off|c|a| Iacebook page (as denoted by the wr|t|ng, "a|-Safa a|-rasmeea", mean|ng "1he off|c|a| page",
underneath "L|wa'a kafee| 2aynab").
lormed ln 2006 when lL spllL from MuqLada al-Sadr's !aysh al-Mahdl, Lhe Shla lslamlsL, lraq-based Asa'lb
Ahl al-Paq (League of Lhe 8lghLeous, or AAP) was creaLed wlLh Lhe help of Lebanese Plzballah and Lhe
lranlan 8evoluLlonary Cuard Corps.
1
uurlng Lhe lraq War, AAP was responslble for a number of hlgh-
proflle aLLacks on CoallLlon forces, lncludlng kldnapplngs and Lhe use of advanced Lxploslvely lormed
eneLraLors (Lls) agalnsL armored vehlcles.
2
lollowlng Lhe pullouL of Amerlcan soldlers from lraq, Lhe
group clalmed lL would conslder glvlng up lLs arms and pursue a pollLlcal sLraLegy.
3
Powever, desplLe
allylng lLself wlLh lraql rlme MlnlsLer nourl al-Mallkl, AAP reLalned lLs mlllLla and has been sendlng
some of Lhese forces lnLo Syrla.
4

When Lhe flrsL marLyrdom announcemenLs and funerals were held for lraql Shla who had been kllled
flghLlng for pro-Assad mlllLlas ln Syrla, lL became clear LhaL AAP was a maln suppller of flghLers (see
earller Plzballah Cavalcade 8oundups of lraqls kllled ln Syrla" arLs 1, 2, and 3). vla Lhese funeral
announcemenLs, Lhe makeup of Lhe maln forelgn-sLaffed Shla mlllLla ln Syrla, namely Llwa'a Abu ladl al-
Abbas (LAlA), was shown Lo be from AAP. AAP dld llLLle Lo hlde Lhelr lnvolvemenL regardlng Lhelr
sendlng of flghLers Lo Syrla. Large publlc funerals have been held ln lraq slnce Lhe sprlng of 2013 and
numerous AAP propaganda posLers feaLurlng Lhelr lnvolvemenL ln Syrla have been released.
AlbelL, lL was a rarlLy for groups llke LAlA Lo make an offlclal wrlLLen sLaLemenL over soclal medla or on
forums sLaLlng AAP was a suppller. lnsLead, Lhe lnference AAP was supplylng flghLers Lo Lhe group could
be made by looklng aL Lhe AAP lmagery for Lhelr dead, whlch was Lhen reposLed by LAlA.
Powever, sLarLlng aL Lhe end of May, 2013 a number of vldeos (posLed Lo ?ou1ube) expllclLly clalmed
Asa'lb Ahl al-Paq's flghLers were ln Syrla. 1hls dlffered from Lhe more Lyplcal rolllng of AAP personnel
lnLo Lhe ranks of LAlA or oLher mlllLlas. Whlle Lhese vldeos were sporadlc, Lhey were Lhe flrsL plece of a
Lrend whlch would culmlnaLe ln Lhe announcemenL of a unlque organlzaLlonal name for AAP's force
deploymenL ln Syrla.
1he ma[or shlfL ln addresslng AAP's lnvolvemenL ln Lhe war ln Syrla Look place ln !uly. lnsLead of clalmlng
AAP members were parL of oLher Shla mlllLla groups, AAP declded Lo announce Lhe presence of Lhe
Asa'lb Ahl al-Paq-Llwa'a kafeel Zaynab (AAP-LkZ or League of Lhe 8lghLeous-SupporLers [or Sponsors] of
Zaynab 8rlgade). 1he group ls noL a new mlllLla". lnsLead, AAP-LkZ ls a name for Lhe group of AAP
personnel who are ln Syrla. ln some ways, lL ls comparable Lo how some mlllLarles have flelded
expedlLlonary forces.
As soon as Lhe AAP-LkZ was announced on lacebook, Lhe group also released a number of fllms on an
offlclal ?ou1ube page. AAP-LkZ's lacebook page also has (slnce Lhe lasL counL on AugusL 13, 2013) Lhree

1
Sam Wyer, 1he 8esurgence of Asa'lb Ahl al-Paq", lnsLlLuLe for Lhe SLudy of War, Mlddle LasL SecurlLy 8eporL 7,
uecember 2012, hLLp://www.undersLandlngwar.org/slLes/defaulL/flles/8esurgenceofAAP.pdf.
2
See: hLLp://www.washlngLonposL.com/wp-dyn/conLenL/arLlcle/2010/03/03/A82010030303674.hLml and
hLLp://www.washlngLonlnsLlLuLe.org/uploads/uocumenLs/opeds/4e8b0eba7c0a2.pdf. lor examples of AAP's use
of Lls see: hLLp://www.llveleak.com/vlew?l=39c_1239313341. Also, Lebanese Plzballah's Cawem.org forum has
numerous posLs feaLurlng AAP's aLLacks agalnsL CoallLlon forces:
hLLp://forum.qawem.org/showLhread.php?87006-uAL3L1LuC7CA-uAu3C7C6C8-C3L3L1-
C7L1CuuL-uAL1LC-C7L1LuL6CAL6C8/page4.
3
See: hLLp://www.hufflngLonposL.com/2012/01/06/asalb-ahl-al-haq-lay-down-arms_n_1189600.hLml.
4
See: hLLp://arLlcles.washlngLonposL.com/2013-02-18/world/37160889_1_al-haq-shllLe-rellglous-leader-lraql-
shllLe.
mlrror slLes. 1hls ls llkely due Lo Lhe facL LhaL many Plzballah and Llwa'a Abu ladl al-Abbas lacebook
pages have been banned by Lhe webslLe.
AAP-LkZ has been qulLe prollflc ln Lhelr posLlngs of unlque phoLographs showlng Lhe group's operaLlons
ln Syrla. ln some cases, Lhe maln page (whlch has around 33,000 members) has posLed flve unlque
phoLographs ln one day. Compared Lo oLher Shla mlllLla lacebook pages, such a release of orlglnal
lmages ls qulLe uncommon.
rlmarlly, AAP-LkZ's mlllLary maneuvers uLlllzlng snlpers and machlne-gun Leams are showcased.
AddlLlonally, Lhelr use of morLars, rockeLs, and posslbly armored vehlcles has also been feaLured. hoLos
of Lhe group's marLyrs are also posLed on Lhe page.
AAP-LkZ has also posLed a number of propaganda vldeos on an offlclal ?ou1ube sLaLlon. Many of Lhe
vldeos mock Syrlan rebels, showlng mlshaps Lhe rebels have had wlLh Lhelr weapons or rebels belng
successfully aLLacked. ln a surreal LwlsL, AAP-LkZ sLarLs all of Lhelr offlclally released vldeos wlLh a cllp
Lhe group's vldeo edlLor(s) cuL from Lhe Mel 8rooks' 1987 comedy, Spaceballs.
3

AAn-Lk2's Imagery & V|deos Irom the 8att|ef|e|d

I|gure 3: AAn-Lk2 members pose w|th a m|xture of ka|ashn|kov-type r|f|es, Dragunov-type sn|per r|f|e, an kG-7, and a kM
mach|ne gun.

3
See: hLLp://www.youLube.com/waLch?v=3uunCxxxAW? and Pave a nlce day".

I|gure 4: AAn-Lk2 members pose w|th a m|xture of ka|ashn|kov-type r|f|es, Dragunov-type sn|per r|f|e, kG-7s, and a kM
mach|ne gun.

I|gure S: An AAn-Lk2 f|ghter stands w|th the Saydah 2aynab Shr|ne |n the background.

I|gure 6: A shot of AAn-Lk2 f|ghters ce|ebrat|ng |n a Syr|an street.

I|gure 7: An ed|ted photo of AAn-Lk2 members ta|k|ng.

I|gure 8: An AAn-Lk2 member |oads what appears to be a Ch|nese-made 1ype 63 107 mm rocket |auncher.

I|gure 9: In AAn-Lk2 photograph|c and v|deo propaganda, p|ckup trucks feature prom|nent|y as a too| used to transport the|r
f|ghters.
[V|deo t|t|ed "AAn-Lk2 f|ghters dr|ve |n a p|ckup truck convoy & p|ay mus|c on the|r phone"]
ln Lhe vldeo cllp, AAP-LkZ members are shown playlng a popular mlllLanL lraql Shla song, SupporL 1hose
Who uefend Zaynab" by All al-uelfl and Ahmed al-Sa'adl. ln facL, mosL AAP-LkZ vldeo cllps are seL Lo
songs whlch can be found on Lhls Plzballah Cavalcade posL deallng wlLh mlllLanL Shla lraql muslc made
for/Lo pralse Shla flghLers ln Syrla.

I|gure 10: AAn-Lk2 members s|tt|ng |n front of a checkpo|nt w|th posters of former Iran|an Supreme Leader Ayato||ah
khome|n| and Syr|an |eader 8ashar a|-Assad.

I|gure 11: An AAn-Lk2 f|ghter s|ghts a mortar.

I|gure 12: An AAn-Lk2 f|ghter ho|d|ng a kM mach|ne gun |s shown |n a rura| sett|ng w|th two other AAn-Lk2 f|ghters.

I|gure 13: An AAn-Lk2 m|||t|aman poses |ns|de a tank turret.

I|gure 14: AAn-Lk2 members stand atop a 8M-1 |nfantry f|ght|ng veh|c|e.

I|gure 1S: A photo from a pro-AAn Iacebook c|a|m|ng to show members of "L|wa'a kafee| 2aynab".

I|gure 16: An AAn-Lk2 member poses w|th a destroyed techn|ca| be|ong|ng to a fact|on of the Iree Syr|an Army. 1he AAn-Lk2
member shown was reported k|||ed |n Syr|an f|ght|ng by AAn.
[V|deo t|t|ed "AAn-Lk2 members engaged |n combat us|ng a kM & kG-7"]
[V|deo t|t|ed "An AAn-Lk2 f|ghter f|r|ng a kM |n an urban area"]

I|gure 17: hotographs and v|deos of AAn-Lk2's sn|pers are a regu|ar add|t|on to the group's soc|a| med|a pages.
[V|deo t|t|ed "AAn-Lk2 p|ay a LAIA song and set up a sn|per pos|t|on"]
[V|deo t|t|ed "AAn-Lk2 f|re mortars, f|re mach|ne guns, and engage |n sn|p|ng"]
[V|deo t|t|ed "AAn-Lk2 Sn|per I|r|ng"]
[V|deo t|t|ed "Another AAn-Lk2 Sn|per V|deo"]
[V|deo t|t|ed "AAn-Lk2 on atro|"]
AAn-Lk2's Go-1o Martyrs

I|gure 18: AAn-Lk2's karar |s shown ho|d|ng a Dragunov-type sn|per r|f|e |n a propaganda poster for L|wa'a Abu Iad| a|-
Abbas.

I|gure 19: A photo of karar's funera| and a shot of h|m dur|ng dep|oyment to Syr|a. 1he photo was posted on AAn-Lk2's
off|c|a| Iacebook page.

I|gure 20: A photo show|ng karar's membersh|p |n Asa'|b Ah| a|-naq from h|s off|c|a| Iacebook martyrdom page.

I|gure 21: 1he or|g|na| LAIA photo for karar napp|ng (r|ght) w|th the copy re-re|eased by AAn-Lk2 (|eft).
karar Abed al-Amlr laLlawl Abu Assad (A.k.A. karar laLlawl and karar Abed al-Amlr Azlz Abu Assad)-
ofLen slmply referred Lo as [usL karar-has been a maln face hlghllghLed by AAP-LkZ as an example of a
brave marLyr. Larller ln 2013 (Aprll-May), he was feaLured promlnenLly ln many Llwa'a Abu ladl al-Abbas
phoLo-releases on Lhelr offlclal and unofflclal soclal medla pages. AddlLlonally, AAP dld noL dlsgulse hls
membershlp wlLh Lhe group when marLyrdom posLers were produced for and afLer hls funeral. ln facL,
karar was feaLured ln one of Lhe flrsL Plzballah Cavalcade posLs. ln Lhe posL lL was noLed LhaL, karar has
one of Lhe besL developed narraLlves of any of Lhe lraqls kllled. Pls sLory comes compleLe wlLh numerous
phoLos, a lacebook page, and supposed vldeos of hlm engaged ln flghLlng." AAP-LkZ has slmply
repackaged avallable lmagery of karar and ls currenLly uslng hls lmage as a way Lo promoLe Lhe group's
sLruggle ln Syrla.
karar ls noL alone wlLh belng feaLured ln AAP marLyr propaganda. Salem al-Chanaml, anoLher AAP-LkZ
flghLer who was kllled ln Syrla, has become anoLher symbol of AAP-LkZ marLyrdom ln Syrla. Cn !uly 23
Lh
,
AAP-LkZ esLabllshed an offlclal lacebook marLyrdom page for al-Chanaml wlLh unlque lmages of Lhe
flghLer. Some of Lhese phoLos showed hlm ln clvlllan dress, rldlng horses, and generally pushed Lhe
Lheme LhaL he was llke mosL average young men.

I|gure 22: Ghanam|'s tombstone.

I|gure 23: Ghanam| |s shown w|th another AAn-Lk2 f|ghter. ne |s dressed |n modern d|g|t|zed camouf|age.

I|gure 24: Ghanam| |s featured |n another off|c|a| AAn-Lk2 photo.

I|gure 2S: Ghanam| |s p|ctured r|d|ng a horse |n an off|c|a||y re|eased photo.

I|gure 26: 1he banner photo for Ghanam|'s off|c|a| Iacebook page. 1he Saydah 2aynab Shr|ne |s p|ctured on the |eft.
AAn, n|zba||ah, & 1he Syr|an Army
Slnce Lhe esLabllshmenL of LAlA, Lhe group's consLlLuenL elemenLs have lncluded flghLers from Lebanese
Plzballah and Asa'lb Ahl al-Paq. 8ased on Lhls daLa, lL was clear Lhe Lwo groups were cooperaLlng wlLh
one anoLher under a unlLed fronL lnslde Syrla. lollowlng Lhe announcemenL of AAP-LkZ, Lhe
organlzaLlon has released vldeos whlch Lhe group clalms show Lhelr members and Lebanese Plzballah
flghLlng slde by slde. Slnce Lebanese Plzballah played an lnLegral role ln creaLlng AAP-LkZ's parenL
organlzaLlon, lL should come as llLLle surprlse LhaL Lhere ls conLlnued cooperaLlon ln Syrla.
Slnce Lhe flrsL announcemenL of LAlA belng lnvolved ln Lhe flghLlng ln Syrla, Lhelr own propaganda had
shown Lhelr flghLers were worklng ln close concerL wlLh 8ashar al-Assad's Syrlan Arab Army (SAA). 1hls
has also become a regular Lheme wlLh AAP-LkZ. AL Llmes lL has lncluded vldeos and phoLographs of Lhe
group offerlng lnfanLry supporL Lo armored vehlcles.
Cne vldeo clalms Lo have been fllmed followlng Lhe LlberaLlon of uamascus AlrporL", whlch may
reference a small counLeroffenslve launched by Assad's forces ln Lhe laLe wlnLer of 2012-early 2013. 1he
vldeo also clalms LhaL Lebanese Plzballah members and AAP-LkZ were presenL. 1he cllp also shows
karar Abed al-Amlr laLlawl Abu Assad as belng presenL. ln anoLher vldeo, AAP members are shown
offerlng lnfanLry supporL Lo SAA armored unlLs.
[V|deo t|t|ed "AAn-Lk2 f|ghters, |nc|ud|ng karar [o|n Lebanese n|zba||ah f|ghters near Damascus
A|rport"]
[V|deo t|t|ed "Asa|b Ah| a|-naq Cffer Support to Syr|an Army outs|de Saydeh 2aynab"]
1hls fllm purporLs Lo show Asa'lb Ahl al-Paq flghLers wlLh Syrlan army armored supporL. 1he vldeo also
was reporLed Lo have Laken place ln Lhe vlclnlLy of Lhe nelghborhood around Lhe Saydah Zaynab Shrlne.
1abataba| V|s|ts the 1roops

I|gure 27: 1abataba| |s shown |n th|s AAn-Lk2 propaganda photo v|s|t|ng the group's men |n Syr|a.

I|gure 28: 1abataba| (|n the b|ack turban) |s p|ctured w|th AAn-Lk2 members |n Syr|a.

I|gure 29: 1abataba| |s shown w|th AAn-Lk2 f|ghters and bodyguards tour|ng the ne|ghborhood around the Saydah 2aynab
Shr|ne.
Muhammad al-1abaLabal, a former SadrlsL leader, and a founder APP, was recorded vlslLlng AAP-LkZ
flghLers ln Syrla.
6
1abaLabal has also been descrlbed as parL of AAP's core leadershlp".
7
Pls vlslL helps
demonsLraLe Lhe lmporLance of APP forces ln Syrla. lllms of hls meeLlngs wlLh AAP mlllLlamen ln Syrla
were released ln mld-!uly (!uly 18
Lh
). uurlng hls vlslL Lo Syrla, 1abaLabal was also shown wlLh wounded
AAP members and greeLlng oLher AAP personnel.
[V|deo t|t|ed "1abataba| greets AAn-Lk2 members |n Syr|a"]
[V|deo t|t|ed "1abataba| W|th Wounded Ann members"]


6
See: hLLp://www.shafaaq.com/sh2/lndex.php/reporLs-lnvesLegaLlons/36306---q--q-----.hLml.
7
Sam Wyer, 1he 8esurgence of Asa'lb Ahl al-Paq, lsLlLuLe for Lhe SLudy of War, Mlddle LasL SecurlLy 8eporL 7,
uecember 2012, hLLp://www.undersLandlngwar.org/slLes/defaulL/flles/8esurgenceofAAP.pdf.