Accessibility links

Breaking News

Iraqi Shi'ite Paramilitary Chief Seeks to Put Troops Under National Army


FILE - Iraqi militia leader Hadi al-Amiri of the Badr Brigades Shiite militia explains a battle plan to his fighters near the front line on the outskirts of Fallujah, Anbar province, Iraq, June 1, 2015.
FILE - Iraqi militia leader Hadi al-Amiri of the Badr Brigades Shiite militia explains a battle plan to his fighters near the front line on the outskirts of Fallujah, Anbar province, Iraq, June 1, 2015.

The commander of Iraq's biggest Shi'ite Muslim paramilitary group told its fighters on Thursday to take their orders from the national military and cut their ties with the group's political wing.

Hadi al-Amiri, leader of the Iran-backed Badr Organization, also called on the group's fighters to withdraw from the cities under their control.

The move paves the way for Amiri to stand in parliamentary elections on May 12.

Participation in the election by members of Iraq's Iran-backed Shi'ite paramilitaries, collectively known as Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), has been hotly debated in Iraq. PMF members cannot run for office unless they formally resign their posts.

FILE - Shi'ite Popular Mobilization Forces celebrate on the outskirts of Kirkuk, Iraq, Oct. 17, 2017.
FILE - Shi'ite Popular Mobilization Forces celebrate on the outskirts of Kirkuk, Iraq, Oct. 17, 2017.

Amiri is the second commander to issue such a call in as many days. He called on those in charge of his armed wing to cut their ties with the group's political party, which holds 22 seats in the Iraqi parliament.

"I also call on all my brothers, the commanders of various formations, to clear cities of all signs of militarization," he said in a speech.

Badr, which says it is loyal to both Iraq and Iran, is the biggest group within the PMF, which fought alongside security forces against Islamic State.

Sunni Muslims and Kurds have called on Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, who declared victory over Islamic State last week, to disarm the PMF, which they say are responsible for widespread abuses.

The PMF were officially made part of the Iraqi security establishment by law and formally answer to Abadi in his capacity as commander-in-chief of the armed forces.

FILE - Iraq Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi gestures, during a press conference, in Baghdad, Iraq, Dec. 9, 2017.
FILE - Iraq Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi gestures, during a press conference, in Baghdad, Iraq, Dec. 9, 2017.

Abadi has said the state should have a monopoly on the legitimate use of arms.

Qais al-Khazali, head of Asaib Ahl al-Haq, announced a similar move on Wednesday when he said he would place his fighters under Abadi's command. The fighters and their political wing were now separate entities, he said.

Powerful Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr set out conditions on Monday for his followers to give the government the weapons they used to fight Islamic State.

Iran-backed Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba, which has about 10,000 fighters and is one of the most important militias in Iraq, said last month it would give any heavy weapons it had to the military once Islamic State was defeated.

  • 16x9 Image

    Reuters

    Reuters is a news agency founded in 1851 and owned by the Thomson Reuters Corporation based in Toronto, Canada. One of the world's largest wire services, it provides financial news as well as international coverage in over 16 languages to more than 1000 newspapers and 750 broadcasters around the globe.

XS
SM
MD
LG