Database: Identifiers of Designated Islamic Terrorist Organizations
Saraya al-Ashtar
Designation Status (as of October 12, 2026)
| US State Dept FTO | Listed al-Ashtar Brigades since July 11, 2018 |
|---|---|
| US Treasury OFAC SDN (SDGT) | Listed AL-ASHTAR BRIGADES |
| UK Proscribed | Listed Al-Ashtar Brigades including Saraya al-Ashtar, Wa’ad Allah Brigades, Islamic Allah Brigades, Imam al-Mahdi Brigades and al-Haydariyah Brigades since December 2017 |
| EU Terrorist Lists | Not listed official list |
| Canada Listed Entities | Listed Al-Ashtar Brigades since June 21, 2019 |
| Australia Listed | Not listed official list |
Profile written 2014 The profile below is the original Jihad Intel text and has not been updated. Designation status above is current.
Not yet designated as terrorist by a Western country
Base of operations: Bahrain
Saraya al-Ashtar (the al-Ashtar Brigades) is a Shi'a militant group in Bahrain that released its first statement on April 27, 2013, attacking the al-Khalifa Sunni monarchy for its "oppression" and "crimes." The group has since then claimed bomb attacks against the Bahraini security services. "Al-Ashtar" refers to the revered Shi'a figure Malik al-Ashtar, a companion of Imam Ali appointed governor of Egypt by Ali. There is no definite evidence that the group is linked to Hezbollah or the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps. However, ideological overlap, namely in espousing Khomeini's ideology of Wilayat al-Faqih, is a real possibility. Saraya al-Ashtar has been designated as a terrorist group by Bahrain.
