BAGHDAD — Iraq’s government is moving to control powerful Iran-backed militias in the country, and place them under the full command of the Iraqi armed forces.
In a decree issued Monday night, Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi said militias who continue to operate independently will be closed and any armed faction working “openly or secretly” against these guidelines will be considered illegitimate.
The militias fall under the umbrella of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces, a collection of mostly Shiite militias that fought the Islamic State group and were incorporated into the country’s armed forces in 2016. The PMF’s top brass are aligned with Iran, even while they fall under the authority of Iraq’s premier.
The move comes amid U.S.-Iran tensions and follows several unclaimed attacks near U.S. forces or U.S. interests in Iraq.
The Associated Press
