Kawan Ali -Activists
In the aftermath of the ISIS invasion in 2014, Iraq found itself facing an existential threat. In response, the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), or Hashd al-Shaabi, were formed under a religious fatwa to support national defense. What began as a temporary security response has since transformed into one of the most dangerous and unaccountable militia networks in the region.Today, Hashd al-Shaabi no longer serves the purpose for which it was created. Instead, it has evolved into a parallel state, operating with impunity, receiving foreign support—particularly from Iran—and spreading fear, sectarianism, and instability. The group is composed of dozens of heavily armed sub-factions, including internationally designated terrorist groups such as Kata’ib Hezbollah, Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq, and Saraya al-Khorasani. These factions maintain their own military bases, weapons stockpiles, and intelligence networks independent of the Iraqi government.In areas like Tuz Khurmatu, Khanaqin, Kirkuk, and Jalawla, PMF factions have systematically targeted Kurdish and Sunni communities—engaging in ethnic cleansing, looting, forced displacement, extrajudicial killings, and the destruction of civilian property. The presence of these militias has not brought security; it has deepened societal divisions and obstructed peaceful coexistence.Numerous reports from Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and the United Nations have documented crimes committed by PMF groups that clearly constitute violations of international humanitarian law. Yet despite such evidence, these groups continue to expand their influence across Iraqi institutions—especially in the military, judiciary, and local administrations.In my view, the continued existence of Hashd al-Shaabi poses a far greater threat to Iraq’s democratic transition than ISIS ever did. Whereas ISIS operated as an external terrorist entity, Hashd al-Shaabi is embedded within the state structure, using the guise of legitimacy to control territory, suppress dissent, and rewrite the rule of law in favor of sectarian domination.This network of militias must be dismantled—completely, not rebranded or integrated. Allowing these groups to remain within the state means permanently compromising Iraq’s sovereignty, constitutional order, and human rights commitments. International pressure must be applied to the Iraqi government to disband these militias and prosecute those responsible for war crimes. Failure to act now will lead to further bloodshed, the collapse of trust in institutions, and a descent into militia rule.Iraq deserves a future where all communities—Kurd, Arab, Sunni, Shi’a, Christian, Yazidi—can coexist under one flag, one law, and one justice system. That future cannot be built on the foundations of a violent, sectarian, and Iran-backed militia empire.
