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The Iraqi government dismissed a call from US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson for the Popular Mobilization Units or Hashd al-Shaabi that helped Baghdad defeat Daesh to end operations in Iraq.
Speaking after a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and Saudi Arabia’s King Salman, Tillerson said it was time for the Popular Mobilization Units to “go home,” Reuters wrote.
But Abadi showed unwillingness to meet Tillerson’s demand.
“No party has the right to interfere in Iraqi matters,” the statement from his office read. It did not cite the prime minister himself but a “source” close to him.
The office of Abadi added that the forces were under the authority of the Iraqi government. “The Popular Mobilization Units are Iraqi patriots,” it said in the statement.
Hashd al-Shaabi is an Iraqi state-sponsored umbrella organization composed of some 40 groups, which are mainly Shia Muslims. The force reportedly numbers more than 100,000 fighters. Iraqi authorities say there are between 25,000 and 30,000 Sunni tribal fighters within its ranks in addition to Kurdish Izadi and Christian units.
The fighters have played a major role in the liberation of Daesh-held areas to the south, northeast and north of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, ever since the terrorists launched an offensive in the country in June 2014.
Daesh launched a terrorist offensive inside Iraq in 2014. It swiftly took over territory in the Arab country and posed a threat to seize Baghdad.