Iraq's al-Nujaba Movement Warns of Resuming Military Operations if Israel Attacks Gaza Again

Al-Assadi also mentioned that the government has not requested the al-Nujaba Movement to disarm or disband.

Ali al-Assadi, Head of the Politburo for Iraq’s al-Nujaba Movement. (Photo: Al-Nujaba Movement News Website)
Ali al-Assadi, Head of the Politburo for Iraq’s al-Nujaba Movement. (Photo: Al-Nujaba Movement News Website)

Jan. 20, 2025

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Ali al-Assadi, Head of the Politburo for Iraq’s al-Nujaba Movement, stated on Saturday that his group would resume military operations if Israel restarts its attacks on Gaza, according to the Asharq Al-Awsat.

The al-Nujaba and Saraya Awliya al-Dam factions had previously suspended their operations against Israel following the establishment of a ceasefire in Gaza. However, during a televised interview, al-Assadi declared, "The Iraqi resistance is prepared to support military operations should Israel resume its attacks on Gaza."

Al-Assadi also mentioned that the government has not requested the al-Nujaba Movement to disarm or disband. Adding to the discourse, Hisham al-Alawi, Undersecretary of the Iraqi Foreign Minister, emphasized on Sunday that the disarmament of armed factions is strictly an internal Iraqi matter. 

Al-Alawi highlighted the importance of distinguishing between the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) and other unaligned factions.

Furthermore, Iraq’s Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein reiterated on Saturday that the issue of armed groups is a matter for Iraqis to resolve internally, without interference from external entities, including neighboring Iran.

Read More: ‘Resolving Armed Groups Issue Is a Sovereign Iraqi Decision’ Iraqi FM

Hussein’s comments followed Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani’s visit to Tehran, during which this message was reportedly conveyed to Iranian officials.

Iran-backed militias, including key factions within the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), have been central to Iraq’s fight against ISIS but remain outside the formal military structure. Their alignment with Tehran has drawn criticism from Washington, which views these groups as proxies advancing Iran's regional agenda.

Read More: Iraqi PM Balances U.S. Pressure and Regional Alliances in High-Stakes Tehran Visit

The United States continues to push Iraq to integrate all militias into its national military framework, viewing this as a critical step to reducing Iranian influence. However, this demand places Prime Minister al-Sudani in a challenging position. Iran sees these militias as key to its regional strategy, and any attempt to disband them risks straining Iraq-Iran relations.