Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani’s commitment to normalize central Iraq’s situation by transferring control from the military to civilian police is facing obstacles. While regular military forces have been withdrawn from many provinces, the Al-Hashd Al-Shaabi paramilitaries, part of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), continue to exert their presence and perpetrate criminal activities similar to that of the Islamic State (ISIS).
Ali Al-Husseini, a PMF commander, has boldly asserted that his faction’s presence in liberated cities is sanctioned by the prime minister, dismissing calls for their withdrawal as suspicious. According to PMF researcher Michael Knights, the real powers in Iraq are three warlords closely aligned with Iran: Qais Khazali of Asa’ib Ahl-Al-Haq, Hadi Al-Amiri of Badr, and former Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki. In essence, Iraq is described as having a “resistance” government, with the resistance shaping Iraq’s official viewpoint and running its affairs.
The PMF, often seen as a military threat, has, similar to Hezbollah in Lebanon, extended its influence into various aspects of governance, including politics, judiciary, economy, and administration. Recent developments have seen the PMF gain control over Iraq’s National Intelligence Service, Baghdad airport, anticorruption bodies, customs posts, and other institutions. Their influence over Iraq’s Supreme Court enabled them to dominate the incoming government despite significant losses in the 2021 elections.
In many cities, PMF factions vie for dominance, exploiting local economies in Sunni-majority areas and ethnically diverse rural regions. When the PMF captured Kirkuk in 2017, it led to the exodus of many Kurds who viewed the Shiite militias as occupiers. Recent tensions in Kirkuk, sparked by KDP’s plans to reopen an office, resulted in violence when Asa’ib Ahl-Al-Haq faction protested and blocked roads, further destabilizing the city.
Reports reveal that the PMF has illegally seized land and thousands of houses as “war spoils” in central Iraq. Property records were manipulated through their economic offices, leading to fraudulent land acquisitions. Corruption runs rampant, as evidenced by the embezzlement of reconstruction funds and other financial crimes.
The PMF’s Muhandis General Company dominates Iraq’s economy, secures government tenders, and controls major government departments with substantial budgets. Additionally, the Iraq-Syria border has become a hub for smuggling weapons, drugs, oil, and people.
The corrupt and criminal activities of the PMF risk pushing Iraqi demographics back into the arms of extremist groups like ISIS. Thousands of individuals have been “forcibly disappeared” by Hashd militias, and incidents like the abduction of 643 men and boys in Saqlawiyah in 2016 highlight the brutality of the PMF.
As the PMF becomes increasingly unpopular, even among Shiite demographics, its grip on power through election processes is challenged. Inevitably, the PMF may abandon democratic processes and stage a coup, backed by Hezbollah and other regional allies.
The international community’s lack of response to these events has far-reaching global consequences. As the Hashd and its allies quietly expand their power and wealth, the ramifications for the West and Arab states are concerning. The Iran-GCC détente has shifted international attention away from the PMF, allowing them to consolidate control over Iraq, potentially emerging as a region-wide threat.
