Non-state allies Kata'ib al-Imam Ali (Arabic: كتائب الإمام علي, romanized: Kataʾib al-ʾImām ʿAlīy, lit.

[14] Kata'ib al-Imam Ali came into existence in June 2014 as the armed wing of the Harakat al-Iraq al-Islamiyah (Movement of the Islamic Iraq) party.

Kata'ib al-Imam Ali also appears to enjoy the favour of Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, leader of the Popular Mobilization Forces, who has at times even personally led the group into battle.

In line with these attempts, the group formed its own, though minor, Christian unit, the Kataib Rouh Allah Issa Ibn Miriam, or "Spirit of God Jesus Son of Mary Battalions".

[15] In 2015, Kata'ib al-Imam Ali began to send its fighters to Syria, allegedly to protect the Sayyidah Zaynab Shrine,[1] and participated in the Second Battle of Tikrit.