Iraqi Resistance leader accuses US of "blatant interference" over PMF legislation
Qais al-Khazali, Secretary-General of Asaib Ahl al-Haq, a powerful Iran-aligned Shiite faction within the PMF, warned against US pressure on legislation related to the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF).
'What is happening today is no longer mere diplomatic overreach—it is a clear assault on Iraqi sovereignty and a direct blow to the democratic process so often championed by the West,' al-Khazali stated.
He criticized American efforts to influence the Iraqi legislative process, claiming they amount to political blackmail and the disruption of state institutions. 'Preventing parliament from fulfilling its legislative and oversight duties under American pressure is unacceptable,' he said, adding that yielding to such pressure would be tantamount to 'surrendering national decision-making and abandoning the will of the Iraqi people.'
Al-Khazali also defended the rights of PMF fighters, saying they are not up for negotiation, insisting that passing legislation to protect their entitlements is a national and moral obligation, 'not a political option.'
His remarks follow a statement by US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce, who said Secretary of State Marco Rubio had raised serious concerns with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani over the proposed PMF law. According to Bruce, Rubio warned that the legislation would strengthen the role of armed groups.
— قيس الخزعلي (@Qais_alkhazali) July 24, 2025
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Rudaw Net
3 minutes ago
- Rudaw Net
Iraq arrests accused Anfal executioner
Also in Iraq Kirkuk court hands suspended sentence to Kurdish villager over disputed land Baghdad may waive oil shortfall blocking June budget transfers to Erbil: KRG source PM Sudani discusses recent attacks in Baghdad meeting KRG says not consulted on Iraq-UN poverty report A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraq has arrested the man accused of overseeing torture and executions at Nugra Salman prison during the genocidal Anfal campaign that targeted Kurds in the late 1980s. 'We have been cooperating and coordinating with Iraq's National Security [Service] for eight months to achieve a good result, which is how we reached this good outcome of Hajaj's arrest,' Pari Nuri, advisor to the Iraqi presidency, told Rudaw on Friday. The arrest of Hajaj Ahmed Hardan al-Tikriti, from the al-Bunasr tribe linked to Saddam Hussein, was first announced on Thursday by the office of Iraq's First Lady Shanaz Ibrahim Ahmed. According to Nuri, Tikriti was detained several days ago. He declined to disclose where Tikriti has been living because 'many investigations remain and it would negatively affect the course of legal investigations.' In 1988, Saddam Hussein's Ba'ath regime launched the genocidal Anfal campaign, systematically targeting Kurdish villages and arresting thousands. Young men were often executed and women, children and the elderly were sent to Nugra Salman prison in Iraq's southern desert near the Saudi border. Survivors remember Nugra Salman as a place of daily beatings, hunger and fear, made worse by Tikriti's brutality. 'He kicked prisoners until they stopped breathing,' said Omar Mohammed, a researcher who has spent years documenting the testimonies of Anfal survivors. 'His name alone terrified everyone.' In 2017, rare black-and-white photos of Tikriti surfaced in Basra, shared by Abu Adnani, who knew someone who had trained with the accused executioner. 'Through an old friend in Baghdad, I got hold of these photos,' Adnani said. One showed Tikriti eating a live snake, another swallowing a scorpion. 'Brutality and cruelty could be seen in Hajaj's eyes,' a Rudaw correspondent wrote after seeing the images. To confirm the photos, reporters traveled to the ruins of Nugra Salman prison, where the walls still bear Kurdish inscriptions scratched by prisoners. Azab Shamari, a local resident who saw Tikriti as a child, identified him without hesitation. 'That short, fat guy is Hajaj himself. He drove a white Land Cruiser and a red 1985 Super,' he said. Further confirmation came from five survivors who had been imprisoned in Nugra Salman after the 1988 chemical attack on Halabja. Before seeing the photos, each described Tikriti's face and demeanor. 'He had a wide face and cruel eyes,' said Sidiq, one of the survivors. After viewing the photos separately, all five pointed to the same man. 'That is him,' said Mohammed, another survivor. 'We can never forget.' More than 182,000 people were killed and over 4,500 villages were destroyed in eight phases of the Anfal campaign that culminated with the chemical weapon attack on Halabja. Thursday was the 42nd anniversary of the Anfal phase that killed around 8,000 members of the Barzani tribe. Iraq's Federal Supreme Court has recognized the Anfal campaign as constituting genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes, but little has been done to compensate the survivors of victims' families. The genocide has also yet to be recognized by the majority of the international community. 'This arrest is only a beginning,' said Omar Mohammed. 'There are still many perpetrators whose names are unknown or whose crimes remain buried.' The first lady's office has called on victims' families and former prisoners to come forward with evidence against Tikriti. 'We must tell the truth of what happened, so it is never repeated,' said Salman, a survivor who spent months in Nugra Salman prison. 'We waited decades for this moment.'
Shafaq News
3 hours ago
- Shafaq News
Gaza famine worsens as Trump envoy heads to enclave
Shafaq News – Gaza US special Envoy Steve Witkoff is scheduled to visit Gaza on Friday amid mounting international concern over an escalating humanitarian crisis that aid groups now say is tipping into famine. Witkoff, accompanied by US Ambassador Mike Huckabee, arrived in Israel on Thursday and met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other senior officials. Their visit follows a surge in deadly incidents near aid distribution sites, including the deaths of 54 Palestinians at the Zikim crossing in northern Gaza. The Gaza Health Ministry reports that nearly 100 people were killed in the past 24 hours while trying to access food and supplies. According to the White House, the envoy's trip will help finalize a humanitarian aid strategy that President Donald Trump is expected to approve soon. 'The special envoy and the ambassador will brief the president immediately after their visit,' said White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. Speaking to reporters Thursday, Trump described the crisis in Gaza as 'a terrible thing,' noting that 'people are very hungry.' He later posted on his social media platform that the 'fastest way to end the humanitarian crises in Gaza is for Hamas to surrender and release the hostages.' The visit comes amid criticism of the US-Israeli aid distribution strategy. Images of malnourished children and fatal stampedes at aid drop zones have fueled public anger. Aid organizations warn that airdrops are insufficient and dangerous, stressing that only full land access can prevent further catastrophe. The Gaza Health Ministry says at least 156 people have died from hunger or malnutrition—most in recent weeks—adding to a total death toll of over 60,000 Palestinians killed since October 2023. Aid workers say recent Israeli steps, such as 10-hour humanitarian pauses and limited airdrops, fall far short of meeting the population's needs. Germany, historically a close Israeli ally, has also voiced growing concern. Visiting Jerusalem on Thursday, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul called the situation 'beyond imagination' and urged immediate action. Though Berlin has not joined France, Britain, and Canada in pledging recognition of a Palestinian state, Wadephul reaffirmed Germany's support for a two-state solution, calling it 'the only way' to achieve lasting peace. Meanwhile, ceasefire talks remain frozen. Indirect negotiations in Doha collapsed last week, with Israel and Hamas trading blame. Israel recently responded to a Hamas counteroffer on a US-backed proposal that includes a 60-day ceasefire and partial hostage-prisoner exchange. Hamas has not issued a public response. Israeli media report that the Netanyahu government and Washington are exploring a broader agreement focused on the release of all hostages, the dismantling of Hamas' military capabilities, and Gaza's long-term demilitarization. However, the specifics remain unclear, and intense fighting continues across the enclave. Hamas is believed to be holding around 50 hostages, with only 20 confirmed to be alive. In Israel, families of captives have staged growing protests outside the Prime Minister's office and in Tel Aviv, demanding an end to the war.
Shafaq News
14 hours ago
- Shafaq News
Hamas ties talks to end Gaza famine
Shafaq News – Gaza On Thursday, Hamas expressed its 'immediate readiness' to resume ceasefire negotiations, on the condition that humanitarian aid reaches its intended recipients and the famine in Gaza is brought to an end. In a statement, the Palestinian group warned that continuing talks amid what it described as a starvation policy strips the negotiations of meaning. Hamas accused Israel of withdrawing from the talks without justification while 'continuing to deprive more than two million Palestinians of food,' resulting in what the group called an unprecedented humanitarian disaster. Hamas called on the international community and relevant stakeholders to take urgent action to stop the 'massacre committed by the Israeli military against Gaza's population.' It demanded the immediate, unconditional delivery of food aid with guarantees to protect it from obstruction or targeting. The group stressed that any future negotiations must be built on ending the current crisis and ensuring basic human rights.
