Iraqi officials accuse PMF of pressuring Nineveh leadership
Shafaq News/ Local officials in Iraq’s Nineveh province have accused a lawmaker from the Coordination Framework (CF) of leveraging influence within a Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) unit to pressure the local government and push for leadership changes.
According to three provincial officials, a recent meeting was held at the intelligence office of PMF Brigade 30 to “mobilize fighters and coordinate a social media campaign” targeting specific district administrators. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity due to security concerns.
They said participants were instructed not to record the meeting in writing, but individuals linked to the unit—including the commander of the special missions regiment—promoted related hashtags on personal social media accounts.
The officials described the effort as a “bid to reshape local governance in favor of political factions aligned with the CF.” Analysts say such direct intervention by an armed group in local administration is rare but not unprecedented.
PMF representatives in Nineveh declined to comment.
The alleged pressure campaign comes amid a political impasse in Nineveh, where disagreements among rival blocs have prevented the newly elected provincial council from convening and appointing key officials.
The CF is a coalition of mostly Shia political parties and armed factions, including groups close to Iran. It emerged in opposition to the Sadrist movement, now known as the Patriotic Shiite Movement (PSM), and has played a dominant role in shaping government formation and provincial appointments since 2021.
