updated Thu. October 3, 2024
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Middle East Eye
April 1, 2018
"One of the major implications of terminating this process would be opening up the area to the Assad regime and to Iranian-led Shia militias, and of course this will instantly set the stage for the return of extremism and terrorism," Frederic Hof, who was the special adviser for the transition in Syria during theÃâà...
The New Arab
April 1, 2018
Iran-backed Shia militias have played an instrumental role in pushing back IS in Iraq. However, rights groups have criticised the Shia militia groups for violations - including torture and killings - against Sunni civilians. US officials have repeatedly called on the Shia militias to integrate into the Iraqi army or toÃâà...
The New Arab
April 1, 2018
"And this corridor could create a lot of things in the region," he added, referring to the so-called "Shia crescent" that spans from Lebanon, where Iran sponsors Shia group Hizballah, through to Syria where it backs the Assad regime and loyal Shia militias, to northern Iraq and Iran. Bin Salman voiced concernÃâà...
Kurdistan24
March 28, 2018
Iran has managed to build its land bridge to the Mediterranean, by using the Shia militias that it supports in Iraq, along with its alliance with the Syrian regime. Michael Pregent, an expert on Iraq and an Adjunct Fellow at the Hudson Institute, explained that he had plotted the locations of those militias and the territory theyÃâà...
Kurdistan24
March 19, 2018
... and kidnapped by a Hashd al-Shaabi militia group at a Daquq security checkpoint, southern Kirkuk Province, following the Oct. 16 military takeover by Iraqi forces and Shia militia groups. ... Over the past years, Shia militias have been accused of operating under the direct command of Tehran rather than Baghdad. On Oct.
Kurdistan24
March 19, 2018
The Governor of Sulaimani, however, should have also announced at least a day of mourning for the fall of Kirkuk last year, when Iraqi forces and [Iranian-backed] Shia militias attacked it and took over the city,” a Kurdish man posted on his Facebook account. “Throughout history, the people of the Kurdistan Region hadÃâà...
Kurdistan24
March 17, 2018
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – The Deputy Commander of the Iranian-backed Hashd al-Shaabi has said the group would not hesitate to highlight Iran's role and support for the Shia militias in Iraq. Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the Deputy Commander of the Hashd al-Shaabi, also known as the Popular MobilizationÃâà...
TRT World
March 13, 2018
In its desperation to defend against the joint Turkish and Free Syrian Army (FSA) onslaught, and with its front lines methodically collapsing, the YPG agreed to allow Assad regime troops and allied pro-Iran Shia militias into nearby Tel Rifat. Syrian state media then showed footage of regime soldiers insideÃâà...
Anadolu Agency
March 13, 2018
Monday's attack came a day after the Hashd al-Shaabi, a pro-government Shia militia, pulled out from the area. Last year, officials in Baghdad declared that Daesh's military presence in Iraq had been all but dismantled following a three-year war with the Iraqi armed forces. Nevertheless, the notoriousÃâà...
Kurdistan24
March 12, 2018
Ali al-Hamdani, a Commander within the PMF, said the Shia militia planned to carry out “significant operations” to secure Kirkuk fully, but have been waiting for Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to greenlight the operations. “As a result of the security implications in the province of Kirkuk, and the intelligence informationÃâà...
The National
March 11, 2018
In Iraq, this will take form in Iran leveraging "its aligned PMF (Hasd Shaabi) and Shia militia groups, as well as its longstanding political and societal ties as its main avenues of influence to pressure Baghdad to expel US and coalition forces and prevent Kurdish separatism". As the ISIL territorial threatÃâà...
The National
March 10, 2018
In Iraq, this will take form in Iran leveraging "its aligned PMF (Hasd Shaabi) and Shia militia groups as well as its longstanding political and societal ties as its main avenues of influence to pressure Baghdad to expel U.S. and coalition forces and prevent Kurdish separatism. As the ISIL territorial threatÃâà...
The National
March 10, 2018
In Iraq, this will take form in Iran leveraging "its aligned PMF (Hasd Shaabi) and Shia militia groups as well as its longstanding political and societal ties as its main avenues of influence to pressure Baghdad to expel U.S. and coalition forces and prevent Kurdish separatism. As the ISIL territorial threatÃâà...
The National
March 10, 2018
In Iraq, this will take form in Iran leveraging "its aligned PMF (Hasd Shaabi) and Shia militia groups as well as its longstanding political and societal ties as its main avenues of influence to pressure Baghdad to expel U.S. and coalition forces and prevent Kurdish separatism. As the ISIL territorial threatÃâà...
Qantara.de
March 10, 2018
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi issued a decree on Thursday formalising the inclusion of Shia paramilitary groups in the country's security forces. According to the decree, members of the Shia militias, an assortment of militia groups known collectively as the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), whichÃâà...
The Economist
March 8, 2018
More recently, it has allowed Shia militias backed by Iran to set up camp on the Saudi border. In response the kingdom, which considers itself the region's Sunni champion, is accused of bankrolling Sunni jihadists in Iraq. But Muhammad bin Salman, the Saudi crown prince, is shaking the kingdom from itsÃâà...
NRT
February 24, 2018
KIRKUK – A suicide bomber blew himself up on Sunday (February 25) targeting headquarters of a Shia militia known as Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq in Kirkuk. A source from Kirkuk police said that the suicide bomber was wearing an explosive belt and damages occurred to the headquarters of the Shia paramilitaryÃâà...
Kurdistan24
February 22, 2018
Several Shia militias under the umbrella of the Iranian-backed Hashd al-Shaabi, including Asaib Ahl al-Haq, Hezbollah Battalion, and Al-Badr Brigade have recently expressed their opposition to the presence of US troops in Iraq, vowing to target them if they remain in the country. Niyazi Mimaroglu, a Shia Turkmen MP, whoÃâà...
Kurdistan24
February 19, 2018
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – Islamic State (IS) militants late Sunday night killed 27 Iraqi fighters after a convoy of the Iranian-backed Shia Hashd al-Shaabi (PMF) militias was ambushed in the oil-rich and ethnically diverse province of Kirkuk, a statement announced on Monday. The statement posted on theÃâà...
Kurdistan24
February 17, 2018
Iranian-backed Shia militia groups like the Hashd al-Shaabi in Iraq and Lebanese Hezbollah in Syria continue to have a significant presence in the region. ... forces, supported by the Iranian-backed Shia militias, attacked Kirkuk, the Trump administration seemed less aware of the extent of Tehran's influence in Baghdad.
Breaking Energy
February 15, 2018
Two experts diagnose the Shia militia problem in Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq, offering concrete advice for reducing the power of Iran's proxies. On February 2, Hanin ... The event marked the release of Ghaddar's new Institute report “Iran's Foreign Legion: The Impact of Shia Militias on U.S. Foreign Policy.
Kurdistan24
February 11, 2018
Several other Shia militias under the umbrella of the Iranian-backed Hashd al-Shaabi have previously expressed their opposition to the presence of American troops in Iraq, vowing to target them if they stay in the country. US forces are “in Iraq at the invitation of the Iraqi government,” State Department SpokespersonÃâà...
Kurdistan24
February 7, 2018
The military campaign has a five-prong strategy to clear the region from the White Flag group's supporters and fighters, according to Shia militia commanders. ... Following the military takeover of Kirkuk and Khurmatu by Iraqi forces and the Shia militias on Oct. 16, a militant group emerged in the mountainous areas south ofÃâà...
Kurdistan24
February 6, 2018
It is the second, if not the third warning issued by the Iranian-backed Shia militia against American troops in the country since the Iraqi government declared final victory over the Islamic State (IS) in late 2017. There are over 5,000 US troops in Iraq. The US-led Coalition against IS on Monday stated its focus in Iraq would shiftÃâà...
Kurdistan24
February 5, 2018
Last week, two members of the Shia militia group as well as the Iraqi Federal Police were killed, and several others wounded in two separate IS attacks in Kirkuk. Since Iraqi forces and the Shia militias took control of Kirkuk and other disputed areas in October, unprecedented security incidents includingÃâà...
Kurdistan24
February 5, 2018
... by the Hashd al-Shaabi against the Christian community, he noted that there are “factions under the umbrella of the Shia militia working to change the demography of the Christian-populated areas.” In addition to IS' attacks, Christians in the Nineveh Plains are exposed to harassment and assaults by the Shia militias sinceÃâà...
Kurdistan24
October 22, 2017
Most recently, Iranian influence in Iraq in the form of Shia militias targeting Kurdish disputed territories has been strongly condemned by many politicians in Washington, DC, and officials in Kurdistan. On Oct. 16, days after US President Donald Trump's speech on curtailing Iran's destabilizing role in theÃâà...
Iraqi News
December 31, 1999
Salahuddin (IraqiNews.com) The Shiite militia of Saraya al-Salam (Peace Brigades) have accused the protection guards of Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi of attacking the personnel deployed between Samarra and Tikrit in Salahuddin, which sparked confrontations that caused the death of the guardsÃâà...
The Arab Weekly
December 31, 1999
In October, Abadi strongly defended the Shia militias, after comments from US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson that foreign fighters and Iranian militias in Iraq should “go home.” Abadi said they were Iraqi volunteer fighters who had played a major role in the military defeat of ISIS. The parliament vote, backedÃâà...
Kurdistan24
December 31, 1999
Indeed, just three days after the Oct. 16 attack on Kirkuk by Iraq and Iranian-backed Shia militias in a military operation engineered by Qassim Soleimani, head of the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Cruz issued a statement calling on Baghdad to “halt all efforts that contribute to aÃâà...