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Shafaq News
3 days ago
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Exclusive: US reaffirms concerns over Iran-backed PMF in Iraq
Shafaq News – Washington The United States has reiterated its concerns over the role of Iranian-backed armed groups operating under Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), calling on the Iraqi government to take stronger action to hold them accountable for illegal activity. A US State Department spokesperson told Shafaq News that some elements within the PMF maintain ties to designated foreign terrorist organizations and are engaged in activities that Washington views as destabilizing to Iraq's security. 'We remain concerned about Iranian-backed militia groups, which operate within the Popular Mobilization Forces, including individuals and groups affiliated with designated foreign terrorist organizations,' the spokesperson stated. 'These groups continue to engage in violent and destabilizing activities in Iraq.' The Popular Mobilization Forces is an umbrella organization composed of dozens of paramilitary factions, some of which maintain close ties to Iran. While the PMF is formally recognized as part of Iraq's security apparatus, its autonomy and the actions of certain factions have drawn increasing scrutiny from Western governments and some Iraqi political figures. US officials have repeatedly raised alarms about several groups within or closely associated with the PMF that are subject to American terrorism designations or sanctions such as Kataib Hezbollah and Asaib Ahl al-Haq, citing their links to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force (IRGC-QF) and their involvement in attacks against US forces in Iraq. Others, including Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba, Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada, Harakat Ansar Allah al-Awfiya, and Kataib Imam Ali, have been listed as Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) entities. The US has also sanctioned senior figures associated with these groups including Falih al-Fayyadh, chairman of the Popular Mobilization Committee, Abdul-Aziz al-Mohammadawi (known as Abu Fadak,) of Kataib Hezbollah. 'We continue to urge the Iraqi government to rein in these groups and hold them accountable for breaking Iraqi law,' the State Department official added.
Rudaw Net
25-02-2025
- Business
- Rudaw Net
Iraq moves forward with PMF integration bill amid concerns of US sanctions
Also in Iraq Kurdistan Region's share of federal budget to increase: Officials Iraq to add 3,000 MW of electricity to national grid: Ministry Ukraine to open consulate general in Erbil: Ambassador Iraq-Turkey pipeline ready for Kurdistan Oil exports resumption: Iraq Oil Minister A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraq's Council of Ministers approved a new bill for the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) on Tuesday, referring it to the Iraqi legislature for final approval. The move comes amid growing concerns that Washington may impose sanctions on some of the PMF-affiliated armed groups. 'The approval of the new Popular Mobilization Forces bill is part of broader efforts to reform Iraq's security institutions in line with the government's ministerial program,' an official source told the Iraqi News Agency. The bill aims 'to organize the PMF in the same manner as other state security and military entities,' the source added. The PMF was formed amid the Islamic State (ISIS) blitz in 2014, as an umbrella organization which gathers some 70 predominantly Shiite armed groups in Iraq. The approval of the PMF law ahead of its passage by the legislature, comes after 'a series of laws to regulate the works of security agencies' have been passed in Iraq in recent months, including the approval of the Iraqi National Intelligence Service law in late January and the National Security Service law in June. Although the exact provisions of the PMF law remain unclear, it has emerged as a topic of contention in recent months, particularly among Shiite political blocs vying for greater influence over the 250,000-member organization. A key issue of debate is the proposed structure of the PMF and the retirement age of its commanders, including its head, Falih al-Fayyadh. Discord also persists over the degree of independence the PMF should retain. Some groups within the Shiite-led Coordination Framework oppose excessive oversight over the umbrella organization, arguing that it could weaken the PMF's effectiveness. Meanwhile, the United States has repeatedly criticized the PMF's ties to Iran-backed Shiite armed groups, warning about the growing influence of such groups on Iraq's political and military apparatuses. The timing of the bill's approval coincides with reports suggesting that the US may impose further sanctions on these groups and their affiliates. Iraq's Deputy Speaker Shakhawan Abdullah on Saturday stated that Iraq might face 'significant' decisions from the US administration, cautioning that such decisions should not come as a surprise to the federal government.
