State of Law: PMF law blocked by US, domestic opposition
The Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) law will not be passed in the current parliamentary term due to both domestic resistance and international pressure, the Nouri al-Maliki-led State of Law Coalition announced on Thursday.
Speaking to Shafaq News, Coalition member Hussein al-Maliki said the legislation has effectively been postponed until the next session, pointing to strong political objections within Iraq and an explicit US veto as key reasons behind the delay. 'Iraqi political forces won't override the American opposition."
Washington has raised concerns that the proposed amendments, known informally as the PMF Authority Law, would institutionalize the group as a force independent of the Iraqi army and grant legitimacy to groups it classifies as terrorist organizations. According to US officials, these concerns were communicated directly to Baghdad in recent bilateral talks.
The Iraqi Parliament had passed the initial PMF law in 2016, but it lacked detailed provisions for structure and integration. The latest draft seeks to formally define the group's position within Iraq's national security framework.
The PMF was established in mid-2014 following a call by Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani for collective mobilization to counter ISIS after the fall of Mosul. The appeal drew thousands of volunteers, including fighters from existing Shiite factions.
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