Iraq to Officially Recognize Popular Mobilization Units

Local Editor

The Iraqi government said the Popular Mobilization Units [PMU], better known in Arabic as Hashd al-Shaabi, are to be placed on par with Iraq's army units and subject to military law.

The statement from Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, released on the English-language PMUs Twitter feed, touched on the important role played by the group in seizing back territory from Daesh [the Arabic acronym for the terrorist "ISIS" group].

The statement stipulates that "politics" would be banned within PMUs, which comprises various Iraqi sects, assisting army soldiers in battles against Takfiri terrorists.

"Members of the Hashd who are part of this body are to have no links to any political party or social framework," the statement said.

A spokesperson for the PMUs said the change would put the forces on par with the elite Counter-Terrorism Forces.

"We are now under command of the prime minister's office currently held by Haider al-Abadi," the spokesperson pointed out.

The Popular Mobilization Units has played an important role in seizing back territory from Daesh terrorists, and together with Iraqi army troops and tribal fighters managed to recapture the strategic western city of Fallujah late last month.

The report comes as the Iraqi military and its allies are preparing to launch a large-scale operation and liberate the northern city of Mosul, which Daesh has proclaimed its headquarters in Iraq.

The city fell to Daesh Takfiris early in the summer of 2014.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team