“The [Iraqi] Council of Ministers approves increasing financial allocations for the popular mobilization commission,” read a statement from Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani’s office, referring to the Popular Mobilization Committee (PMC), whose stated goal is to bring all PMF factions under the federal control.
The statement elaborated that the allocation is intended to cover the salaries and financial allowances for its “service members.”
Rudaw understands that the budget for the PMC is set to increase by 367 billion Iraqi dinars (over $280,000).
In June, the Parliament of Iraq passed the 2024 budget, allocating more than 4.5 trillion dinars (about $3.5 billion) to the PMF, which includes some Iran-backed groups in Iraq.
According to the budget details, the PMF comprises over 238,000 members.
In July, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller expressed concerns that some members of the PMF “are not responsive” to Prime Minister Sudani’s command and “engage in violent and destabilizing” activities in the region.
The PMF was formed when a group of militias responded to a call-to-arms from revered Shiite cleric Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani to stand against the Islamic State (ISIS) in 2014. While the force has been officially incorporated into the Iraqi security apparatus, militias within their ranks operate outside of Baghdad’s control and reportedly receive support from Iran.