Are Shiite Militias More Powerful than Army?

Recent reports suggest that the militias’ independence is allowing them to take matters into their own hands when it comes to areas they have taken back from the IS group. There have been plenty of stories about the meting out of justice to locals the militias suspected of collaborating with the IS group.

This week, Reuters reported on a particularly heinous incident in Diyala where an estimated 72 unarmed locals were executed by what locals describe as a combination of militia and army personnel.

Locals say the uniforms the attackers wore seemed to be a combination of both forces and that Hummer vehicles – which the militias don’t seem to have – were on the scene. While some witnesses say they saw soldiers crying over the massacre, others described fighters wearing “green headbands emblazoned with the name Hussein, a defining figure in Shiite history”.

Another alleged part of the reason for the strength of the Shiite militias is their strong religious beliefs. Many of them apparently consider the war against the IS group as a sacred duty. They wear the aforementioned headbands and carry religious flags into battle; members of the militias are well known for their dedication to their cause, which sees them prepared to sacrifice their lives during sneak attacks – possibly more readily than the Iraqi army soldiers, many of whom are doing the job to make a living.

Despite all of the problems with the militias, officers in the regular army – including the three interviewed for this story – stress that the militias play an extremely important role in the fight against the IS group. It is hard to say whether the Iraqi army could have stopped the group’s advance without their help.