Iraq’s dismissed PMF fighters protest for reinstatement in Babil

Shafaq News/ On Friday, Iraq's dismissed Popular Mobilization Forces (Al-Hashed Al-Shaabi-PMF) members organized large-scale demonstrations in Babil Province, demanding their reinstatement.

Amer Hassan Al-Jubouri, the coordinator of the demonstration, stated, "The dismissed fighters were at the forefront of all battles defending Iraq and its sanctities and did not seek material gains," adding, "The continued neglect of their issue drives them to escalate their actions until their legitimate demands are met."

The demonstrators told Shafaq News that they joined the PMF in response to the 2014 fatwa from the Marja'iyya [Ayetollah Seyyid Ali Al-Sistani] and served on various battlefronts. However, they were dismissed in 2017 due to what they described as "administrative and financial" decisions without clear justifications.

The dismissed members noted that they served for between six to seven years and have not had their rights restored despite previous promises of reinstatement. They also mentioned that their children were not allowed to take their places, which worsened their living conditions.

The protesters, numbering over 1,200, called on the Prime Minister, the head of the PMF, the Speaker of Parliament, and the President of the Federal Court to urgently intervene and ensure their reinstatement.

Notably, these protests come in light of the PMF Service and Retirement Law, which mandates the retirement of around 4,000 fighters from the “Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis generation,” leading to strong opposition and delays in the law's passage.