Latest news with #PMF-affiliated
Shafaq News
5 days ago
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Baghdad denies Taji drone strike
Shafaq News – Baghdad On Tuesday, Baghdad Operations Command rejected claims of a drone strike and fire at a Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) site in Taji, north of the capital. In a statement, the command urged media outlets to verify information through official channels before publication. The denial comes amid renewed scrutiny of the PMF—a state-sponsored but largely pro-Iran network of paramilitary groups—whose presence near Iraqi bases housing US and coalition forces has reportedly been a source of tension. A senior security official also clarified to Shafaq News that no PMF-affiliated sites are located within the Taji base and that no military facility in the area had been targeted.
Rudaw Net
28-07-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
US calls on Iraq to punish pro-Iran militants over deadly Baghdad attack
Also in Iraq Kurdish MP urges Iraqi president to halt Qaratapa upgrade Iraqi authorities arrest PMF members linked to attack on ministry Iraq to hit 52 degrees Celsius amid scorching summer Iraq sees drop in wheat production amid summer drought A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The United States on Monday called on the Iraqi government to bring the perpetrators of a deadly Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF, or Hashd al-Shaabi) attack on an agriculture ministry branch in Baghdad the day prior to account 'without delay" and hold an Iran-backed faction responsible. An 'armed assault' by the PMF on an agriculture ministry office in Baghdad's Karkh district on Sunday left three people dead - a policeman, a civilian, and a member of the powerful Iran-backed Iraqi armed group Kataib Hezbollah. Baghdad confirmed that the perpetrators of the attack were PMF members. 'We call on the Government of Iraq to take measures to bring these perpetrators and their leaders to justice without delay,' the US Embassy in Baghdad said in a statement. It blamed the PMF-affiliated Kataib Hezbollah, a US-designated armed group, for the attack. 'We are saddened by the loss of life, which included federal police and an innocent civilian, and wish a swift recovery to the wounded,' the embassy stated. Washington holds Kataib Hezbollah, a key player in the Iran-led 'Axis of Resistance,' responsible for numerous attacks on US assets in the region since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas conflict in October 2023. Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani vowed on Sunday to hold the perpetrators accountable and ordered a probe into the attack. 'No one has the right to replace the state or its authorities, and no party is above the law,' Sudani said in an emergency security meeting following the attack. Iraq's Shiite-led Coordination Framework also condemned the attack as a 'violation of the law and state procedures.'
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.
