Sunni fighters who have joined Shi'ite militia groups known collectively as Hashid Shaabi (Popular Mobilization), who are allied with Iraqi forces against the Islamic State, gesture with their weapons in al-Alam Salahuddin province March 17, 2015. Iraq paused its Tikrit offensive on Monday and officials called for more air strikes against Islamic State militants, while an officer said Kurdish forces sustained two more chlorine gas attacks by insurgents. REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani (IRAQ - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL

Why Iraq needs to depoliticize their Popular Mobilization Units

Subscribe for less than $9/month to access this story and all Al-Monitor reporting.

Or continue reading this article for free - Access 1 free article per month when you sign up.

By entering your email, you agree to receive ALM's daily newsletter and occasional marketing messages.

Why Al-Monitor?

Al-Monitor is an award-winning media outlet covering the Middle East, valued for its independence, diversity and analysis. It is read widely by US, international and Middle East decision makers at the highest levels, as well as by media, thought and business leaders and academia.

Read by

White House logo European Union logo United Nations logo NATO logo Foreign & Commonwealth Office logo World Bank logo Harvard University logo Council For Foreign Relations logo
message icon

Live news & notifications

Follow over 100 expert journalists based across the region and get notified in real time of breaking stories and exclusives. *Expanded coverage on Energy & Defense sectors.
message icon

Premier analysis of the Middle East

Access the sharpest and most diverse regional minds giving you all the angles on regional trends.
message icon

Live events & video

Priority access to roundtables, summits and other events alongside ALM's global community of regional influencers.
message icon

Specialized Newsletters

Get timely reporting on key countries and sectors with up to 10 daily and weekly newsletters straight to your inbox.
message icon

Big, exclusive interviews

Follow conversations with the region's biggest names in politics and business.
message icon

ALM archives since 2012

Access a repository of over a decade's worth of regional coverage, insights and trends.
Sunni fighters who have joined Shi'ite militia groups known collectively as Hashid Shaabi (Popular Mobilization), who are allied with Iraqi forces against the Islamic State, gesture with their weapons in al-Alam Salahuddin province March 17, 2015. Iraq paused its Tikrit offensive on Monday and officials called for more air strikes against Islamic State militants, while an officer said Kurdish forces sustained two more chlorine gas attacks by insurgents. REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani (IRAQ - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL

Subscribe for unlimited access

By becoming an Al-Monitor subscriber, you drive our team’s rigorous and independent journalism spanning the Middle East.