Latest news with #PMF
Asharq Al-Awsat
2 days ago
- Business
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Aoun's Visit to Baghdad Eases Strained Ties between Lebanon, Iraq
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun arrived in Baghdad on Sunday on an official visit for talks with top Iraqi officials. Ties between Lebanon and Iraq had been strained over Aoun's recent remarks about Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF). The president also did not attend the Arab League summit in Baghdad last month, with Prime Minister Nawaf Salam participating instead. However, the reception accorded to Aoun on Sunday eased all tensions. He was warmly welcomed by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani at Baghdad International Airport and they later held bilateral talks. At a press conference following their meeting, Aoun quoted Iraq's top Shiite Authority Ali al-Sistani when speaking about the need for authorities to derive lessons from the past and to work on establishing a better future for the people. This work should be based on practical plans for managing the country that are based on competency and integrity, away from foreign meddling and while keeping the possession of weapons limited to the state, he added. Aoun expressed his gratitude to Sudani 'for everything you have constantly offered Lebanon, such as aid in every field.' 'Every Lebanese person now truly believes that during each crisis, they can turn to Iraq that will come to Lebanon's aid in actions, not just in words,' he stressed. For his part, Sudani underlined the Iraqi government and people's 'keenness on supporting Lebanon and strengthening its state institutions.' Iraq supports Lebanon's unity, stability and territorial integrity, he added. A statement from Sudani's office said the leaders discussed bilateral ties and opportunities for cooperation between their countries in various fields. They also tackled regional developments. Aoun expressed his gratitude for Iraq's support to Lebanon, saying he was keen on expanding cooperation to meet the interests of the people in both countries. Aoun also held talks with Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid. Aoun is expected to discuss with officials the possibility of Iraq continuing to provide Lebanon with fuel to operate power plants. They will also address security affairs and other issues. In April, Aoun had declared that Lebanon will not replicate the PMF experience in Iraq in Lebanon as part of efforts to merge Hezbollah with the Lebanese army. Hezbollah will also not act as an independent unit inside the army. His remarks had angered Baghdad, which stressed that the PMF is a military institution and part of Iraq's armed forces. Iraq summoned Lebanon's ambassador in Baghdad at the time to protest the statements.
Rudaw Net
2 days ago
- Business
- Rudaw Net
Iraqi leaders receive Lebanese president for talks on bilateral ties, security
Also in Iraq Coordination Framework delegation to visit Erbil amid Baghdad-KRG strain Kurdistan workers urge Iraq's top court to order salary release from Baghdad Iraq transfers military college cadets to Baghdad after tragic deaths Baghdad decision not to send salaries 'political': Senior KDP official A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Lebanese President Joseph Aoun met with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani and President Abdul Latif Rashid in Baghdad on Sunday, discussing strengthening bilateral ties and promoting regional stability. 'The two leaders held official talks to discuss the overall Iraqi-Lebanese relations and ways to enhance and develop them across various levels and fields,' read a statement from Sudani's office. The discussions also addressed regional developments and the potential for promoting broader regional and international stability. In May at the Arab League summit in Baghdad, Sudani pledged $20 million to support Lebanon's reconstruction following extensive damage from the months-long conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. The fighting began on October 8, 2023, one day after war broke out between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. Hezbollah opened a front from southern Lebanon in support of its Palestinian allies, prompting weeks of cross-border clashes with Israel. Hostilities came to a halt in late November after a ceasefire was reached. Despite the ceasefire, Israel's attacks on Lebanon have continued. "We condemn the ongoing attacks by the Zionist regime on Lebanese territory," Sudani said during a joint press conference with Aoun, calling for regional and international support for Beirut. In December, Iraqi government spokesperson Basem al-Awadi said Baghdad 'played a pivotal role' in reaching the ceasefire. Aoun also met with his Iraqi counterpart Rashid, who reiterated Iraq's support for Lebanon's stability and security, according to state media. Aoun expressed his gratitude to Iraq for its ongoing assistance to Lebanon. During the conflict, Iraq also hosted around 20,000 Lebanese refugees as 'guests of Iraq,' most of whom have since returned home. Lebanon's former economy minister, Amin Salam, told Rudaw in March that the war had caused an estimated $25 to $30 billion in economic losses. During the presser with Sudani, Aoun said that among Lebanon's main objectives are 'restricting weapons in the hands of the state and confronting corruption.' Aoun's visit follows controversy in April when he ruled out adopting Iraq's model of integrating armed groups into the state defense structure. In an interview with The New Arab, Aoun was asked whether Lebanon might follow Iraq's approach of incorporating the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) into its national army as a way to manage Hezbollah's armed status. 'Absolutely not,' he said at the time. 'There will be no PMF-style force and no independent units within the [Lebanese] army.' While officially incorporated into Iraq's security apparatus, many PMF factions continue to operate independently and maintain close ties with Iran. The comments prompted Baghdad to summon the Lebanese ambassador in protest. Sudani later received a phone call from Aoun, during which they reaffirmed the strength of Iraqi-Lebanese relations, according to a statement from Sudani's office at the time. Hezbollah, widely seen as a central actor in Iran's Axis of Resistance, has reportedly suffered major setbacks during its latest conflict with Israel, including severe damage to its missile infrastructure and the reported assassination of its long-time leader Hassan Nasrallah in September.
Shafaq News
3 days ago
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Iraqi PMF leaders urge neutrality as election tensions rise
Shafaq News/ As Iraq prepares for its parliamentary elections on November 11, tensions are mounting within the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), with senior leaders urging fighters to remain neutral and resist political pressures. On Saturday, Hamid al-Yasiri, commander of the PMF's 'Ansar al-Marjaiya' brigade, called on all PMF members to avoid involvement in electoral rivalries and to maintain loyalty to the religious fatwa* of Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani. 'We hear of ongoing conflicts and defamation campaigns within the PMF ranks,' al-Yasiri said. 'You are followers of the fatwa—your commitment lies with it alone, not with any political party." Al-Yasiri warned that political entanglement would undermine the PMF's credibility and diminish the respect earned through sacrifices on the battlefield. 'You are not brokers for electoral blocs, and you must not yield to any political pressure, regardless of the consequences,' he addressed PMF fighters. 'If you engage in political conflicts, you will lose your status in the eyes of the people.' His remarks come amid concerns over the PMF's role in the electoral process. Under Iraqi Election Law, security forces—including the PMF—cast their ballots one to two days before the general public vote to ensure election-day security. This early voting system has historically raised questions about the potential politicization of these forces. Meanwhile, the PMF's official leadership also weighed in on the electoral climate. In a statement issued Friday, the PMF condemned recent claims by a political figure alleging that some tribal units within the forces lack proper registration and include wanted individuals. The statement dismissed these allegations as 'baseless and sectarian,' affirming that all PMF units, including tribal formations, have fully documented records with the PMF's central intelligence and security directorates. The leadership cautioned that such rhetoric threatens to inflame divisions at a time when national unity is crucial. 'These are attempts to exploit the PMF's contributions for political gain,' it said, urging political actors to uphold the integrity of the PMF and respect its national mission. Iraq's upcoming election—its first in four years—will see nearly 29 million Iraqis eligible to vote, following the cabinet's decision in April to set the date for November 11. *A fatwa is an official legal opinion or interpretation issued by a qualified Islamic scholar (called a mufti) in response to a question about Islamic law (sharia). A fatwa is not legally binding in most contexts—it's a religious guideline or ruling on how to behave per Islamic principles. A fatwa might clarify how to perform religious duties, provide guidance on social or political issues, or settle disputes within a community. In Iraq, the famous 2014 fatwa by Al-Sistani, calling on Iraqis to join the fight against ISIS, was a key factor in the PMF formation.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
US Congress members call to sanction Iranian-backed militias in Iraq
US congress members called to sanction several Iranian-backed militias in Iraq, including the Popular Mobilization Forces, in a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The US should sanction Iranian-backed militias in Iraq, including the powerful Popular Mobilization Forces, US Members of Congress Joe Wilson and Greg Steube asserted in a letter to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The PMF include numerous militias arranged in dozens of brigades. Most of the militias are linked closely to Iran and have carried out numerous crimes in Iraq. According to the letter the PMF are 'an umbrella group of 238,000 Iranian-backed militias, have been legitimized as part of Iraq's state security services and receive over $3 billion annually from the Iraqi government—funded in part by American taxpayer dollars. Since 2015, the US Department of State has provided Iraq with $1.25 billion in Foreign Military Financing, in addition to billions more in aid to Iraq's Interior Ministry and Defense Ministry, despite these institutions being deeply infiltrated by Iranian proxies. These same Iran-backed militias, now operating with legal authority under the PMF, have launched rocket attacks on US bases in Iraq and Syria.' Wilson and Steube began their letter by noting, 'We write to express our deep concern over the complete subjugation of Iraq to the Iranian regime. More than 4,400 American service members sacrificed their lives since the start of the Iraq War, yet today, Iraq stands as nothing more than a puppet of Tehran. This outcome is the direct result of disastrous policies that, under previous administrations, empowered Iran's control over Iraq's government, military, and economy.' They added 'The National Security Policy Memorandum-2 (NSPM-2) of February 4, 2025 clearly articulates the reimposition of maximum pressure on Iran and its terror proxies. However, any campaign against the Iranian regime will require an equally robust campaign against Iraqi institutions, which have become essential clients of the Iranian regime.' The report argues that the US should expand sanctions on the various militias. The US has already sanctioned Kataib Hezbollah, Asaib Ahl al-Haq, and some other militias and their leaders. The members of Congress say that the US should sanction the PMF as well as 'the Muhandis General Company, and the Badr Organization as foreign terrorist organizations.' They also call for sanctions on Iraq's importation of Iranian gas. They also said a bank in Iraq and a number of individuals who support Iran should be sanctioned. These include 'former Prime Ministers Nouri al-Maliki and Adel Abdulmehdi, Izzat Shabander, Hadi al-Ameri, AbdulKarim al-Sudani, Abbas Shia al-Sudani, Haider Shia al-Sudani, Abdul Karim al-Faisal, Yasser Suhail al Maliki, Minister of Higher Education Naem al-Aboud, Governor Adnan Feihan,' and others. This is an important development and illustrates how the US is moving to potentially clip the wings of Iran's role in Iraq. For instance, Kataib Hezbollah, which is part of the PMF, continues to hold Elizabeth Tsurkov, a researcher who is also an Israeli citizen. Tsurkov was kidnapped in 2023 in Iraq while doing research. She is a doctoral student at Princeton. Her kidnapping was orchestrated by the Iranian-backed militias. Reports from Iraq indicate that Baghdad is seeking to harm the Kurdistan region of northern Iraq by not paying salaries. This illustrates how Baghdad is destabilizing Iraq through its policies.
Asharq Al-Awsat
27-05-2025
- General
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Saddam's Tribe Weighs Option of Running in Iraq's 2025 Election
The tribe of late Iraqi President Saddam Hussein is quietly searching for a candidate to represent it in Iraq's parliamentary elections scheduled for the end of 2025, despite strong internal opposition and growing fears of political backlash, tribal and political sources said. The al-Bu Nasir tribe, historically tied to Saddam, has long refrained from openly fielding candidates due to deep-rooted hostility and political stigmatization that have persisted since the former regime's fall in 2003. Influential groups in Baghdad, particularly those with links to Iran-backed factions, are seen as likely to revive accusations and historical grievances if a candidate emerges from the tribe, the sources added. The effort comes as armed factions, some aligned with the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), intensify their political outreach in Salahuddin province, where Saddam was born and remains a divisive figure. Prominent families from the al-Bu Nasir tribe are still barred from returning to their ancestral village of Al-Awja, near Tikrit, which remains under the control of the PMF's 35th Brigade. The area has been off-limits to many former residents due to lingering security concerns and political sensitivities. While the tribe remains divided on whether to enter the political fray, the rising influence of militias and a shifting electoral landscape may prompt some factions within it to reconsider their traditional stance of political withdrawal. Two developments in Salahuddin province last week have offered a glimpse into Iraq's shifting electoral landscape, as both Shiite militias and Sunni tribal leaders maneuver ahead of the elections in the Sunni-majority region north of Baghdad. In a move that raised eyebrows, Qais al-Khazali, head of the Iran-aligned Asaib Ahl al-Haq militia, met with tribal leaders and local figures in Tikrit, the provincial capital. The meeting stirred speculation over a potential alliance with Saddam's al-Bu Nasir tribe, once the backbone of the former regime. At the same time, senior figures from the al-Bu Nasir held private talks to discuss whether to nominate a candidate for parliament, according to sources close to the tribe. But the meetings ended without agreement, reflecting deep divisions over the risks of returning to the political stage. 'Many families within the tribe remain hesitant,' one tribal source said. 'They fear political competition could become a noose around what remains of the Saddam legacy.' A faction within the tribe argues that re-engaging in politics is essential to resolve long-standing issues, chief among them, the inability to return to their home village of Al-Awja. But another current warns that any attempt to re-enter politics could bring more harm than good, with one source calling the potential price of representation 'too heavy for anyone to bear.' Analysts say any successful reintegration of Saddam's tribe into Iraqi politics, especially through alliances with Shiite factions, is still premature. Still, some tribal figures believe the door is not entirely closed. 'The al-Bu Nasir are trying to change their circumstances, even if symbolically, by participating in the political process,' said Marwan al-Jubara, spokesman for the Salahuddin Tribal Council. 'They're thinking about a future in a post-Saddam Iraq,' he told Asharq Al-Awsat. 'They want to return to their region, but right now, they live outside it and are still banned from going back.'
