Iraq’s PMF Chief: Mosul has moved beyond extremism

Shafaq News/ Head of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), Faleh al-Fayyadh, stated on Monday that the Iraqi city of Mosul has overcome the period of extremist dominance and is steadily progressing toward greater stability.

Speaking at a symposium titled “Nineveh: Between the Challenges of the Recent Past and the Opportunities of the Future” at Al-Noor University in Mosul, al-Fayyadh acknowledged that while the province still faces challenges, conditions have markedly improved. He noted a clear shift toward stability and praised the growing sense of coexistence and security in the region.

Nineveh, with its capital Mosul, was once a key stronghold for ISIS, which seized control of the city in 2014 and made it the de facto capital of its so-called caliphate in Iraq. The province became a central hub for extremist operations until Iraqi forces, supported by international allies, retook Mosul in a grueling military campaign that ended in 2017.

Al-Fayyadh, who previously oversaw Nineveh’s security vetting file, said only 4% were found to have been affiliated with ISIS. “The overwhelming majority of Nineveh’s residents were not involved in terrorism,” he stressed.

Regarding the political situation in the province, the PMF head highlighted that Mosul is now one of the provinces with the least political volatility. However, “We still lack clearly defined electoral projects,” he said.

Al-Fayyadh also expressed optimism about the performance of Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani’s government, stating that the premier has “begun to deliver real results to the public.”