Tag Archives | Popular Mobilization Forces

Orbital Fluctuations among Iran-Supported Militias in Iraq

By Michael Knights, for the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Any opinions expressed are those of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Orbital Fluctuations Among the Iran-Supported Militias in Iraq Astronomical models provide a surprisingly helpful illustration of how Iran-backed armed groups wield power in the MENA […]

Mainstreaming Hashd Commanders (Part 1): Advanced Education

By Michael Knights and Amir al-Kaabi for the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Any opinions expressed are those of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Mainstreaming Hashd Commanders (Part 1): Advanced Education for Senior Militiamen U.S.-designated terrorists and human rights abusers are beginning to receive senior ranks, […]

Mainstreaming Hashd Commanders (Part 2): Officer Training

By Amir al-Kaabi and Michael Knights for the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Any opinions expressed are those of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Mainstreaming Hashd Commanders (Part 2): Fifty-Fold Increase in Officer Training This year has seen a massive increase in the training of Iraqi […]

Iraq: Activist Imprisoned for Peaceful Criticism of Security Forces

From Human Rights Watch (HRW). Any opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Iraq: Activist Imprisoned for Peaceful Criticism of Security Forces A criminal court in Baghdad sentenced an activist to three years in prison on December 5, 2022, for alleged criticism of the […]

Removing All Militias From Baghdad's International Zone

By Michael Knights, for the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Any opinions expressed are those of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Removing All Militias From Baghdad's International Zone Iran-backed PMF units shot first in the latest showdown, so they should hardly be the ones left in […]

Iraq: Impunity for Serious Abuses - HRW

From Human Rights Watch (HRW). Any opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Iraq: Impunity for Serious Abuses The Iraqi government failed in 2021 to deliver on promises to hold to account those responsible for the abuse of protesters, activists, journalists, and critics of […]

Iraq blames Militias for Basra Explosion that Killed Four

By Hassan Ali Ahmed for Al Monitor. Any opinions expressed here are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Iraq blames militias for Basra explosion that killed four The Basra explosion caused by a booby-trapped motorcycle was aimed to assassinate an Iraqi investigative officer in charge of […]

FT: The Future of Iraq is in the Balance

Writing in the Financial Times, David Gardner says that last week's assassination attempt on Iraq's prime minister has raised fresh questions about militias backed by Iran. Click here to read the full article (subscription required)

Video: Iraqi Opposition Rejects Election Results

From Al Jazeera. Any opinions expressed are those of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Opposition in southern Iraq rejects election results The Shia Muslim cleric Moqtada al-Sadr has claimed victory in Iraq's election, but some of the main political parties have rejected the results. Al Jazeera's Mahmoud […]

Sistani vs. the Militias: The Future of Iraqi Sovereignty

By Hamdi Malik, for the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Any opinions expressed are those of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Sistani vs. the Militias: The Future of Iraqi Sovereignty The international community needs to pay more attention to developments in Najaf, where Sistani-backed groups are […]

Ranj Alaaldin: "Treat Iraq's Iran-aligned militias like ISIS"

By Ranj Alaaldin, for The Brookings Institution. The opinions expressed are those of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Treat Iraq's Iran-aligned militias like ISIS The necessity of defeating ISIS cannot be overstated, but one of the more understated enablers of the group's preeminence is the continued dominance […]

Iraq's Resurgent Paramilitaries

By Tamer Badawi, for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Any opinions expressed here are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Iraq's Resurgent Paramilitaries Paramilitary surrogates are popping up in Iraq with strong links to existing militant networks. The application Telegram has been crucial in fostering […]