US sanctions Iraq's PMU chair Falih al-Fayadh
Fayadh chaired Iraq's Popular Mobilization Units as the forces killed hundreds of unarmed pro-democracy protesters.
The US Treasury Department announced sanctions today against Falih al-Fayadh, the chair of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Units (known variously as Hashd al-Shaabi, PMU and PMC), for his alleged role in violent repression of anti-corruption protests in 2019.
“During protests beginning in October 2019, Iran-aligned PMC forces attacked Iraqi civilians protesting against corruption, unemployment, economic stagnation, poor public services and Iranian interference in Iraq’s domestic affairs,” US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a press release.
Fayadh “was the head of the PMC when its forces fired live ammunition at protesters resulting in the deaths of Iraqi civilians,” Pompeo said.
In a separate statement, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin accused Fayadh of “directing and supervising the murder of peaceful Iraqi demonstrators” and “waging a violent campaign against Iraqi democracy and civil society.”
