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Kata'ib al-Hamza (Iraq)

image located by William Garrison, 29 September 2014

The Organization
The Flag
Conjoined al-Hamza and Sultan Suleiman Shah's Divisions

See also:

The Organization

Kata'ib al-Hamza ("The Hamza Battalions"). c. August 2014
A Sunni-Muslim militia operating near the city of Haditha in the Anbar province of Iraq. This militia is opposed to the "Islamic State" (IS/ISIS/ISIL). The Sunni themselves are divided as to how "harsh" Sunni-Islam should be interpreted and enforced. The Sunni-IS is well known for a brand of puritanical Wahhabi-Islam (including the beheading Shia/Shiite captives and Western journalists), but some "moderate" Sunni are not enthralled with the callousness of the Sunni-IS: which is opposed to Syria Pres. Assad (who is a Shia-Alawite Muslim, and who is supported by the Shia-government of Iran).
Although the pro-Sunni Kata'ib al-Hamza is opposed to the pro-Sunni IS, this doesn't necessarily mean that the Kata'ib al-Hamza is cooperating with the current Shia-dominated government of Iraq.

Info from "Gloria Center" MERIA Journal Vol. 18, No. 3 (Fall 2014) ‏
KATA�IB AL-HAMZA IN IRAQ
The group Kata�ib al-Hamza (�The Hamza Battalions�) was first rumored to be in the works in Anbar in mid-August by police colonel Ahmed Shufir. Speaking to Agence France-Presse, he suggested that the group was based in the western Anbar town of Haditha, which still remains in government control,[29] and that they were fighting to keep out militants to the west of the town. The group was then formally announced at the end of the month by Muhammad al-Dulaimi, acting as spokesman for Kata�ib al-Hamza. He explained to the local Iraqi media outlet al-Mada Press that �a number of Anbar tribes have formed today Kata�ib al-Hamza to make war on the IS organization and cleanse out the Western areas from al-Qa�im district on the border up to the town of Fallujah.� He also clarified that the force was under the �control of the state and the law, with its obligation to support the forces of the army and the police in military operations and assaulting the dens of terrorism.�[30]
Like Harakat Ahrar al-Mosul, Kata�ib al-Hamza ostensibly professes an anti-sectarian line and does not necessarily identify with government policies. In an interview, a media representative affirmed: �We are a tribal force against the sectarian program the government practices and against what the takfiri IS practice�We are not affiliated with anyone. We are not affiliated with the government or Osama [Nujaifi] but we stand with them against IS.�[31] At the same time, the representative was realistic about numbers and scale of operations: �Now the number of fighters is 180 and we have begun simple operations against IS.� The representative dismissed the notion that Kata�ib al-Hamza was working with JRTN against IS: �They are the ones who deluded people with IS and began [working] with IS but afterwards disagreements arose between them and no one except IS has remained in the field.�[32]
From the evidence gleaned so far, Kata�ib al-Hamza�s self-reporting on its activities corroborates the original account to Agence France-Presse of an outfit based in Haditha[33] (and fitting in with the small number of fighters claimed in the interview with this author), rather than one stretching across Anbar. Elsewhere in the west of Anbar�specifically the localities of al-Qa�im,[34] Anah,[35] Rawa,[36] Rutba,[37] the only identifiable armed group is IS. In Fallujah city, IS has gradually subsumed other factions�including Jaysh al-Mujahideen and JRTN, through a mixture of co-optation and coercion.[38] Further east of Fallujah, in the locality of al-Karma, IS forced Jaysh al-Mujahideen to withdraw from the urban area following an attack on the latter�s positions and tribal mediation.[39] Where areas are still heavily contested with government-aligned forces (e,g. Ramadi), much of the fighting is with IS, though other groups seem to be involved as well, including the General Military Council for Iraq�s Revolutionaries[40] and the Islamic Army of Iraq.
William Garrison, 29 September 2014

This group named after Hamza Ali Al-Khateeb. Because I've seen many current fighting military formations and many of them have the name "Khateeb" and "Hamza" in it, in honour of this boy:
- Hamzah Al-Khateeb Battalion
- Brigade of the Martyr Hamza al-Khatib
- Hamza Brigade
- Hamza Bin Abdul Muttalib Brigade
- Hamza al-Ansar Brigade
Esteban Rivera, 30 September 2014

The Flag

Their green-white flag shows two weapons crossed and superimposed on a map of Iraq. On the flag, one weapon is obviously an AK-47, while the other weapon appears to be either a machine-gun or a medium-caliber anti-tank rifle (which is shown on the ground in front of their flag).
William Garrison, 29 September 2014

Also, their logo can be seen here.
Source: http://israelagainstterror.blogspot.com/
Their flag is also featured here.
Source: http://israelagainstterror.blogspot.com/
This is the flag most likely submitted (cropped) by William Garrison
Esteban Rivera, 30 September 2014

Conjoined al-Hamza and Sultan Suleiman Shah's Divisions

image located by Bill Garrison, 2 December 2024

The logo on the right is al-Hamza Division; the left is a sub-unit of the division called the "Sultan Suleiman Shah's Division (sometimes called a Brigade)". Both emblems can be seen at https://www.cartercenter.org/resources/pdfs/peace/conflict_resolution/syria-conflict/2022/state-of-the-syrian-national-army-march-2022.pdf. The flag and group noted can be seen https://www.gettyimages.ae/detail/news-photo/syrian-fighters-march-in-columns-ride-dirt-bikes-and-and-news-photo/1233866453 and https://en.suriyegundemi.com/new-mergers-in-the-syrian-national-army. These two units are under the command of the Syrian Front for Liberation since 2021.
Zachary Harden, 4 January 2025

See more details at Syrian Interim Government