Iraqi faction: US diplomat meddling in PMF legislation
The chargé d'affaires at the US Embassy in Baghdad is pressuring political blocs to block legislation aimed at formalizing the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) under Iraqi law, the Secretary-General of Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada, a prominent Iraqi armed faction, stated on Tuesday.
On X, Abu Ala al-Walai warned against sidelining what he called 'the nation's defenders and guardians of security,' referring to the PMF, a coalition of mostly Shiite paramilitary groups.
He stressed that the relative decline in terrorist threats and improved security should not justify neglecting those 'who secured Iraq's survival.'
Al-Walai described the proposed PMF law as a firm response to 'ongoing US pressure' exerted by the embassy's chargé d'affaires on Iraqi parties to derail the legislation.
pic.twitter.com/gOFIStt1T2
— ابو الاء الولائي (@aboalaa_alwalae) July 8, 2025
The draft law, which seeks to regulate the status, rights, and institutional integration of PMF members, remains a divisive issue among Iraqi political factions and a flashpoint in Iraq's broader debate over sovereignty, foreign influence, and military command structures.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Iraqi News
an hour ago
- Iraqi News
Iraqi PM inaugurates Al-Abbasiya power plant in Najaf
Baghdad ( – The Iraqi Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, inaugurated on Wednesday the Al-Abbasiya power plant in the central Iraqi province of Najaf. The power plant, developed by the German corporation Siemens, had been designed to alleviate power supply issues on the national grid, according to a statement released by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO). The power plant is connected by two 132 kV transmission lines, extending over 29 kilometers, with a capacity of 240 megawatts per line. On Monday, a new 480-megawatt electricity transmission line in the southern Iraqi province of Basra became operational, according to the Iraqi Minister of Electricity, Ziyad Ali Fadel. These initiatives are part of the Iraqi government's strategy to improve the infrastructure of the transmission network and attain energy sustainability throughout Iraq. The new electricity projects are expected to help bridge the gap in growing demand, especially during peak consumption periods in the summer. Baghdad is taking steps forward to fulfill the country's growing energy demand, as between 32,000 and 35,000 megawatts are needed to cover domestic consumption. With the help of locally produced fuel, Iraq's electrical sector is set to make substantial progress toward power production projects, which will eventually lead to energy self-sufficiency. Fadel mentioned earlier that achieving energy self-sufficiency and cutting dependency on imported fuel, which has led to a crisis in the country's electrical system in the last few years, are the main goals of the government's strategy to grow the energy sector.
Rudaw Net
an hour ago
- Rudaw Net
France hails Iraq ties, stresses Kurdish inclusion in Syria's future
Also in Middle East Erdogan offers to facilitate lasting Israel-Iran peace Ankara backs Turkmen in dispute over Kirkuk mayoralty Turkish intel chief discusses PKK with Kurdish leaders in Erbil Syrian government under fire for arresting Kurdish journalist A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - France's foreign ministry on Tuesday described relations with Iraq as 'very dynamic and very dense,' hailing the strategic partnership between Baghdad and Paris, as well as France's ongoing support for Kurdish rights in Syria. 'Iraq has had a very important and dynamic role in the region and the Baghdad Conference was a very important step in that direction,' Christophe Lemoine, spokesperson for France's foreign ministry, told Rudaw's Shahyan Tahseen in an interview. He was referring to the Baghdad Conference for Cooperation and Partnership, first held in 2021 with support from Paris and attended by regional heads of state. In March, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani received a call from French President Emmanuel Macron, where the two leaders discussed the possibility of holding the third edition of the conference. In January 2023, Sudani and Macron signed several strategic agreements in Paris aimed at boosting cooperation across various sectors. 'We are keen on diversifying the presence of French business in Iraq,' Lemoine said. Bargasht Akreyi, spokesperson for the Kurdistan Region's Board of Investment, told Rudaw on Monday that around 60 French companies are expected to visit and invest in the Kurdistan Region in the coming days. The initiative aims to strengthen bilateral ties between Erbil and Paris, create thousands of job opportunities, and pave the way for French brands to expand into the Region. French, Iraqi, and Kurdish officials and business leaders met in Paris in May at a major trade and investment forum, where Baghdad and Erbil presented Iraq as a stable, investment-friendly destination. Baghdad and Erbil are actively working to diversify their economy by bolstering the private sector. As of May 2024, French investments in the Kurdistan Region totaled around $3 billion across multiple sectors, according to France's Consul General in Erbil Yann Braem. 'We are very keen on strengthening the ties between Iraqi Kurdistan and France,' Lemoine emphasized. France has long-standing ties with the Kurdish people, dating back to the 1980s when then-First Lady Danielle Mitterrand became an outspoken advocate for Kurds oppressed under Saddam Hussein. She played a key role in establishing the no-fly zone over the Kurdistan Region after the 1991 Gulf War, which enabled the Kurds to establish an autonomous administration. Mitterrand remains affectionately known as the 'Mother of the Kurds' and inaugurated the first Kurdish parliament in 1992. Following the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003, France was one of the first countries to open a consulate in Erbil. It also supported Kurdish and Iraqi forces during the war against the Islamic State (ISIS), which began in 2014. France has also taken an active role in Syria, backing a political transition process while urging inclusion and respect for Syria's ethnic and religious diversity. 'France has been supporting the news authorities and Damascus, but this support, as we always said, is only conditioned to one thing: the respect of the diversity of Syria and the ethnological diversity, the religious diversity, and the political diversity,' Lemoine said. 'We have always said to the new authorities in Damascus that this new democratic transition that they are leading at the moment should be completely inclusive and that should include all the different communities in Syria and particularly the Kurds,' he added. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot in April met with Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) Commander Mazloum Abdi, urging respect for Kurdish rights in the country. France has been an active member of the US-led coalition against ISIS and recently joined efforts to facilitate intra-Kurdish dialogue in northeast Syria (Rojava), where tensions among rival Kurdish political parties have stalled progress. In late April, a group of Kurdish political parties in Syria issued a rare joint statement calling for a decentralized, democratic system that guarantees Kurdish rights and enables national dialogue. The Syrian presidency condemned the move, arguing it contradicted a March 10 agreement signed by interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa and SDF chief Abdi. That agreement recognized Kurds as an integral part of Syria, declared a nationwide ceasefire, and laid out steps to integrate the SDF into Syria's national army and government institutions.
Shafaq News
2 hours ago
- Shafaq News
Syria plans mass foreign fighters relocation
Shafaq News - Damascus Syria's interim government is arranging the relocation of thousands of foreign armed forces' fighters to African countries, a source close to Syrian military leadership revealed on Wednesday. The source told the Emirati outlet Erem News that the move aims to ease 'growing internal and external pressure on the transitional authority' over the presence of foreign combatants, who reportedly number between 10,000 and 12,000—roughly 10 to 20% of the forces that helped topple the Al-Assad regime. The foreign fighter issue has become a central concern for Western governments engaging with post-Assad Syria. Observers say any progress on diplomatic normalization or reconstruction aid will likely hinge on how the interim authorities address the fate of these fighters, according to Erem News. Earlier, the Syrian administration took steps to formalize the role of some foreign fighters within its restructured army. However, their presence remains a critical challenge, particularly as Damascus seeks international legitimacy and explores the possibility of normalizing ties with Israel. Domestically, the issue has become increasingly contentious amid reports of foreign fighters acting outside government control, conducting raids, and seizing properties belonging to minority groups in Damascus and coastal cities. The Syrian interim government has not issued any statement regarding this matter, and it remains unclear how the proposed relocations would be implemented or whether the receiving countries have agreed to host the fighters.
