Geopolitics Quarterly

Geopolitics Quarterly

Popular Mobilization Forces in Iraq: Obedience to Law Dilemma

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Abbas Anbori 1
Anwar Al-Mumin 1
Andika Bin Ab. Waha 2
Robin Beaumont 3
1 Rewaq Baghdad Centre for Public Policy, Iraq.
2 University Kebangsaan Malaysia, Malaysia.
3 The École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales, Paris.
10.22034/igq.2024.482451.1958
Abstract
In June 2014, Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani issued a fatwa mandating Iraqis to volunteer in the security forces to fight against ISIS. Consequently, the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), otherwise called Alhashd Alshabi, were formed primarily from these volunteers, most of whom were Shias. In December 2016, the Iraqi Parliament issued a law that granted full legal status to the PMF. However, the PMF continued to face accusations of disobedience to the laws of the Iraqi state and the orders of the Commander-in-Chief of the Iraqi Armed Forces, raising concerns about its impact on the state's stability. This article aims to examine the nature of some PMF violations of the rule of law, explore the root causes of this phenomenon, and assess the possibility of eliminating or mitigating it. It argues that this phenomenon has social, historical, and religious origins tied to the relationship between the Shia in Iraq and the state. In particular, the internal divisions within the PMF stem from differences in perspectives regarding the rule of law. Thus, the article suggests that addressing this problem requires a long-term strategy beyond mere legal transformations. The article adopts a qualitative approach, which relies on the collection and analysis of data from the literature.
Keywords
Popular Mobilization Forces
Shia
Iraqi State
Rule of Law

Subjects

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Geopolitics Quarterly
Volume 20, Special Issue
Autumn 2024
Pages 231-272

  • Receive Date 08 October 2024
  • Revise Date 03 November 2024
  • Accept Date 02 December 2024