Podcasts Other Middle East Focus What’s Next for Iraq’s State-Sponsored Militias?

What’s Next for Iraq’s State-Sponsored Militias?

Published: Aug. 7, 2019, 6:37 p.m.

Iraq’s state-sponsored, majority-Shiite militias — called al-Hashd al-Shaabi, or the Popular Mobilization Forces — were central to the fight against ISIS, but there are major questions over their ongoing political and economic role. Enabling Peace in Iraq Center program manager Omar Al-Nidawi, American University in Iraq Sulaimani professor Akeel Abbas, and MEI’s Randa Slim join host Alistair Taylor to discuss what might happen to the force now that the threat ISIS poses has diminished.