Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia

Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia (حركة أصحاب اليمين الإسلامية, lit. 'Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Right'), commonly known as Ashab al-Yamin, is an Islamist militant group that emerged in March 2026. The organization has claimed responsibility for a series of bombings and arson attacks targeting Jewish, Israeli, and Western financial institutions across Europe. European and Israeli intelligence agencies characterize the group as a proxy or affiliate of Iranian-backed networks, particularly the IRGC and Hezbollah.^[1][2]

The group drew international attention during a week-long campaign of violence in March 2026, which Israeli officials described as a "coordinated psychological terror campaign" aimed at European Jewish communities.^[2]

March 9–14

The group was linked to an arson attack on a synagogue in Rotterdam, Netherlands; the placement of an improvised explosive device (IED) at a synagogue in Liège, Belgium; and outside a Jewish school in Amsterdam^[3], and an attack on a Jewish-affiliated site in Greece.^[2]

March 15

An IED was detonated at the entrance of the Atrium office complex in the Zuidas business district of Amsterdam, near the World Trade Center. The group claimed the target was a branch of the Bank of New York Mellon. No fatalities were reported, but the blast caused significant property damage.^[1][4]

Dutch police reported that the group appears to utilize "remote-controlled" cells or radicalized individuals. In connection with the Rotterdam incidents, authorities detained four suspects between the ages of 17 and 19. Dutch officials confirmed that authorities were specifically investigating possible links to Iran.^[5][2]

In propaganda videos released via Telegram—often shared by channels associated with the Islamic Resistance in Iraq—the group warned European citizens to "immediately distance themselves from American and Zionist interests and objects."^[1]

The group’s logo features a raised hand holding an SVD sniper rifle against a red flag and olive branches. The emblem typically includes the Arabic inscription for "Jihad, Steadfastness, Victory." The name Ashab al-Yamin is a Quranic term denoting "those of the right hand," understood as the righteous in the afterlife.^[1][4]

The Israeli Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism has identified the group as a potential front for pro-Iranian militias. Specifically, the name shares nomenclature with Iraqi militant factions previously designated as terrorist organizations by the United States. Analysts suggest the timing of the group's activation may be linked to the recent death of a high-ranking pro-Iranian militia leader in Iraq, suggesting a retaliatory motive for the European attacks.^[2][4]

Israel: Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli stated that the group represents a "new face" of Iranian efforts to export terrorism to European soil and called for increased security cooperation.^[4]

Netherlands: Prime Minister Rob Jetten met with Jewish community leaders following the Amsterdam explosion, pledging increased protection for sensitive sites. However, some community leaders criticized the government for failing to formally designate the group's actions as a broader campaign of organized terrorism earlier in the week.^[4]