Will the protests in Iraq create an intra-Shiite conflict?

Lawk Ghafuri

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The threat of an intra-Shiite conflict in Iraq is rising after the deputy head of the Popular Mobilization  Forces (PMF), also known as Hashd al-Shaabi in Arabic, Abu Mahdi  al-Muhandis warned that they will interfere against the protests “at the right time”, while some PMF fighters published a video  refusing to obey the orders to confront the protesters.

In a video uploaded Sunday, al-Muhandis denounced the current protests in Iraq  as a “temptation” driven by a foreign agenda to destabilize Iraq. 

“We are aware that a temptation is being driven by foreign agendas in  order to destabilize Iraq through the protests” al-Muhandis said.

"The PMF  will interfere at the right time and under the command of the  commander-in-chief,” he added.


Al-Muhandis revealed that the PMF is aware of the “conspiracy” that some  external agendas are planning through the protests, but they are ready  to stand against them as they did against “Daesh”, using the Arabic term for the Islamic State (ISIS).

The PMF was created in 2014 following a fatwa, or religious call to  action, from Iraq’s highest Shiite religious authority, Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, in response to the ISIS insurgency.

Although the PMF has been brought under the umbrella of the official Iraqi Security Forces (ISF), and measures have been taken to fully  integrate the units into Iraq’s military apparatus, the PMF continues  to act independently.

Many PMF units and factions maintain close ties with Tehran.

The head of PMF Asaib Ahl al-Haq paramilitia Qais al-Khazaali accused the US and Israel for what is happening in Iraq, and warns that an internal split in the PMF would lead to widespread violence. 

“I call on everyone to support Hashd al-Shaabi. otherwise if there  would be division within Hashd, I warn that there won’t be heads on  anyone’s body,” al-Khazaali said in a video published to YouTube.

In a video published on Saturday however, a group of PMF fighters appear to deny al-Muhandis comments, stating that they are  not willing to confront protesters.

“We will say no al-Muhandis.. we are  familiar with winning, not standing against our own people,” a fighter  said in the video.  

The fighters also warned al-Muhandis taking orders from “devils”.

It is not clear which PMF unit the fighters in the video belong to.

The video went viral on social media, prompting the PMF media office to release a statement clarifying that the fighters in the video are "not representative" of the paramilitary group.

“The PMF is fully supporting the peaceful protests in Iraq and their legitimate demands,” the statement read, while appearing to distance themselves from those disobeying al-Muhadis.

A wave of unrest spilled over southern Iraq earlier this month as  Iraqis took to the streets to demand action on unemployment, poor  services, and rampant corruption. At least 157 people were killed in the first nine days of the month, according to the United Nations. 

Protests resumed on Friday after the Shiite religious observance of  Arbaeen – only this time the protesters are demanding is a  “revolution” to sweep away the old Islamic parties.

According to the latest statement by Iraqi High Commission for Human  Rights (IHCHR), at least 100 people died and more than 5500 others were wounded due to clashes during the protests in Iraq this weekend. 

At least 257 people have been killed and 10,000 wounded since protests  first swept Iraq on October 1, according to the IHCHR – with many shot with  live ammunition.

The protests are supported by firebrand Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr  who joined protesters in Iraq’s holy city of Najaf on Tuesday, warning  he plans to join forces with the a rival parliamentary bloc to unseat  the government of Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi.

Sadr is head of the Sayirun alliance, the largest bloc in the Iraqi parliament. He is also head of the Saraya al-Salam militia, which falls under the umbrella of the PMF forces.

Sadr has already withdrawn his backing for the government in the wake  of the protests and has called for fresh elections. He accused Iraq’s top politicians of being under the influence of foreign powers –  particularly arch rivals Iran and the United States.

Anti-Iran banners have been regular fixture in the countrywide protests, demanding Iran to stop interfering in Iraq’s internal issues. In several towns, protesters trampled on the Iranian flag, sending a clear message from the streets to Tehran.

The increase in anti-Iran slogans in Iraq during the protests has pushed the PMF to revise its views on the nationwide protests in Iraq.

In his weekly sermon, top Shiite religious authority Grand Ayatollah  Ali al-Sistani said Iraq must not be dragged "into the "abyss of  infighting".

"No person or group, no side with a particular view, no regional or  international actor may seize the will of the Iraqi people and impose  its will on them," he said.

Sistani's remarks, which can usually make or break a government  decision in Iraq, came a day after comments by Iran's supreme leader  Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

"I seize this opportunity to tell those who care about Iraq and  Lebanon to remedy insecurity as their priority," Khamenei said,  without elaborating.

Iraq has close but complicated ties with Iran, its large eastern  neighbor, and the United States, which opposes Tehran's influence in  the region.

On Friday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged the Iraqi  government to "listen to the legitimate demands made by the Iraqi  people," saying an official probe last month into suppression of the  protests "lacked sufficient credibility".