Shia militia attempts merger with Iraqi military

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (K24) – Shia officials in Baghdad are attempting to include Shia militia Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Forces) as an official component of the Iraqi army, a Kurdish MP in Baghdad’s Parliament said on Wednesday.

Hashd al-Shaabi — one of the largest Shia militias in Iraq — was created by top Shia cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani after the collapse of the Iraqi army in June 2014. The Iraqi Federal Government largely supports the militia, which has primarily conducted military operations against Islamic State (IS) in several provinces across the country.

“Shia officials in Baghdad are preparing a draft law for the Iraqi Parliament to make Hashd al-Shaabi an official part of the Iraqi army through the Defense Ministry. In this case, the needs and salaries will also be provided by the ministry,” Shakhawan Abdullah, a Kurdish member of the Iraqi Security and Defense Committee in the Iraqi Parliament told K24.

Jawdat Assaf, a Hashd al-Shaabi leader in Kirkuk Province, confirmed the news but refused to provide further details.

Abdullah said Shia officials will not succeed in passing this law since this plan is not supported by Kurds and Sunni Arabs.

“Ayatollah al-Sistani issued a fatwa (religious edict) creating Hashd al-Shaabi in late 2014 when Shia-populated areas were under threat of Da’esh (IS). But now those areas are no longer under threat and the Iraqi army, not to mention Peshmerga can protect people from IS,” Ahmad Hameed, a Sunni Arab politician in Kirkuk told K24. “Hashd al-Shaabi’s duty has now ended,” he added.

Recently, Sunni members of Iraqi Parliament called upon the United Nations to intervene and protect them, especially in Diyala Province, claiming that civilians were being executed by Hashd al-Shaabi in some locales.

Massoud Zangana, a Kurdish political analyst in Kirkuk stated, “Hashd al-Shaabi has committed many war crimes that are highlighted by Human Rights Watch,” adding that it would be a serious threat to the countries' stability if the militia becomes an official military force in Iraq.

“The federal government is silent because the militia is not under their direct control. Iran has more power over Hashd al-Shaabi than Haider al-Abadi [Iraqi Prime Minister],” Zangana added.

Reporting by Mewan Dolamari

Editing by Benjamin Kweskin

(Soran Kamaran Contributed to this report in Kirkuk)