Iraqi militia umbrella group calls U.S. troop withdrawal a historic victory

The Popular Mobilisation Forces in Iraq celebrated the complete withdrawal of American troops on September 30 as a historic victory after decades of conflict.

Origins And Growth

Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani issued a religious edict on June 13, 2014, asking citizens to volunteer for the security forces as the Islamic State advanced and captured Mosul. This call mobilised hundreds of thousands of youth, leading to the expansion of Shia militias and the formation of the Popular Mobilisation Forces, also known as Hashd al-Shaabi. Iran provided money, weapons, and training to these groups while the Iraqi state encouraged their expansion to stop the jihadist threat.

Political And Military Power

The coalition now has more than three dozen militias with an estimated 240,000 fighters and an annual budget of $3.4 billion. Prominent Iran-backed factions inside the group include the Badr Organisation, Kataib Hezbollah, and Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba. In 2016, the Iraqi Parliament passed a law making the force an independent organisation within the military. Militia members also formed political parties, winning seats in parliament through groups like the Badr Organisation and the Sadiqoun Movement.

Conflict And Disarmament

Tensions grew after a U.S. airstrike in January 2020 killed Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the deputy chairman of the force, alongside Qassem Soleimani. After the U.S. and Israel began bombing Iran on February 28, 2026, Iran-aligned militias launched roughly 600 attacks on American facilities in Iraq. Following the final troop pullback, Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi pushed a disarmament deadline to June 2027, though powerful groups like Kataib Hezbollah continue to resist laying down their arms.

Context

The Popular Mobilisation Forces grew out of an emergency religious call to stop the territorial spread of the Islamic State in 2014 and later became a permanent part of Iraq's security and political landscape. Their deep ties to Iran have frequently placed them at the center of wider regional conflicts involving the United States.