US offers $10 million for info on Hezbollah boss
April 11, 2020
The United States has offered a $10 million (€9.4 million) reward for "any information" relating to a key Hezbollah commander.
Muhammad Kawtharani is a senior official of the Lebanese Shiite movement and is accused by the US of coordinating pro-Iran groups in Iraq. He was branded as a global terrorist by the US in 2013.
In a statement issued late Friday, the US state department said it suspects Kawtharani "has taken over some of the political coordination of Iran-aligned paramilitary groups formerly organized by Qassem Soleimani," referring to the powerful leader of Iran's Revolutionary Guard who was killed in early January by a US strike on Baghdad.
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"In this capacity, he [Kawtharani] facilitates the actions of groups operating outside the control of the government of Iraq that have violently suppressed protests, attacked foreign diplomatic missions, and engaged in wide-spread organized criminal activity," the statement added.
The reward is being offered in exchange for "any information on his activities, networks and associates."
Kawtharani 'was trusted' by Soleimani
Despite his senior role in Hezbollah, Kawtharani may not have Soleimani's clout, according to a Shiite leader quoted by Reuters news agency.
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"Kawtharani has connections with the militia groups," the anonymous leader said. "He was trusted by Soleimani, who used to depend and call on him to help him in crises."
Hezbollah is a Shiite Islamist political party and military group based in Lebanon. Its Iraqi affiliate, Kataib Hezbollah, has been responsible for a number of attacks on US, Iraqi and coalition forces.
The Soleimani killing triggered the Iran ballistic missile attack, which resulted in traumatic brain injuries to more than 100 American troops.
ed/mm (AFP, Reuters)