Iraqi PM approves new PMF structure in step towards its integration into army

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF, known in Arabic as Hashd al-Shaabi) today announced a restructure approved by Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi as part of the group’s ongoing integration into the Iraqi Army. 

Abdul-Mahdi approved the restructure on Tuesday, according to a document published by the militia group, appointing PMF head Falih al-Fayyadh to implement changes including the replacement of all PMF-assigned military titles with those of the Iraqi Army.

Fayyadh issued an order on Wednesday requesting “all PMF units begin work to conform to the new structure,” according to the document.

A July 31 deadline was set for all the PMF units to integrate into the army, according to a decree issued by Abdul-Mahdi on July 1. However, after an official request to postpone the deadline from Fayyadh, the deadline of the decree was postponed until September 30, 2019.

“All Hashd al-Shaabi forces will work as an inseparable part of the armed forces. All rules applied to the armed forces will be applied to them, unless special letters decree otherwise,” read the first section of the July decree. 

Under the decree, the PMF is set to fall under the joint command of Fayyadh and Iraqi Army Chief of Staff Othman al-Ghanmi.

The almost entirely Shiite PMF paramilitaries were formed in 2014, based on a fatwa (religious decree) by Ayatollah Sistani, the highest Shiite authority in Iraq, as Islamic State (ISIS) loomed uncomfortably close to Baghdad. They were formally incorporated into Iraq’s armed forces back in 2016 following a parliament bill.

While many of the PMFs soldiers are individuals who responded to the threat of ISIS, many fought against US forces during its occupation of Iraq, while some received Iranian training and funding.

In Iraq’s 2018 elections, the newly-formed Fath Alliance coalition won the second highest number of seats in Iraqi parliament.  The Alliance was composed of parties who each possessed their own PMF faction. Abdul-Mahdi’s integration decree sought to sever these political ties “on an individual or organizational level.”

With PMF soldiers training in centralized Iraqi military barracks, bases belonging to any faction of the PMF will be shut down, while all checkpoints, “economic offices” or interests outside the “new working  framework” will be closed, the PM added.

Forces who choose not to integrate may “transform” into a political party, but they will not be allowed to carry weapons for any reason other than the protection of its offices, according to the decree.

Abdul-Mahdi has been under pressure by Washington to curb the actions of Iran-affiliated groups after several attacks carried out by different PMF units against US military and economic targets in Iraq.
  
PMF weapons bases and other targets have since come under fire by unidentified drones. The attacks have blamed on Israel, who are known to have hit Iran-backed targets elsewhere in the Middle East. Israel have neither claimed nor denied responsibility for attacks in Iraq.