Iraqi Politician Raps US Attempt to Dismantle PMU
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Leader of an Iraqi political group denounced the US attempts to dissolve the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Units (aka PMU or Hashd al-Shaabi) as part of a hostile plot to sap Iraq’s military strength.
In an interview with Tasnim, Qais al-Khazali, secretary general of Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq, said Washington has repeatedly tried to dismantle Hashd al-Shaabi in order to deprive Iraq of its trump card in the military sphere that has been gained with the victory over the Daesh (ISIL) terrorist group.
He called for efforts to protect the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Units as an official military force.
The cleric also stressed that the war on Daesh has unified all Iraqi groups, including Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds, noting that ethnic tensions have greatly declined in the Iraqi society after the fight on terrorism.
Warning against plots to foment despair in Iraq and discourage people from attending the upcoming election, Khazali said Iraq could carry out reforms once the political parties abandon or at least minimize their demands for a share of power.
Iraq’s parliament has approved May 12 as the date for holding national elections despite calls to delay the vote until the return of nearly 3 million people displaced by the fight against Daesh.
The over three-year-old fight against Daesh has left most of the areas in northern and western Iraq in ruins, and poor public services have exacerbated the situation.
The elections will be the fourth since the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq.
