Iraq's PMF Arrests Secretary-General of Saraya Al-Khorassani Brigades

 Jazairi with former commander of Quds Force Qassem Soleimani (Asharq Al-Awsat AR)
Jazairi with former commander of Quds Force Qassem Soleimani (Asharq Al-Awsat AR)
TT

Iraq's PMF Arrests Secretary-General of Saraya Al-Khorassani Brigades

 Jazairi with former commander of Quds Force Qassem Soleimani (Asharq Al-Awsat AR)
Jazairi with former commander of Quds Force Qassem Soleimani (Asharq Al-Awsat AR)

Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) continue to arrest prominent figures linked to the Saraya al-Khorasani brigades and Iran, who are accused of attacking civilian activists.

Less than 24 hours after the arrest of Hamid al-Jazairi, deputy commander general of the group, the PFM arrested on Monday 30 members of the Brigades while searching for their Secretary-General Ali Al-Yasiri.

Sources reported that Al-Yasiri “was not present at the Saraya headquarters during the raid launched by PMF security personnel."

“He intended to travel to Syria, but he returned and turned himself over in to the PMF Security Directorate,” the sources added.

Another source close to the PMF confirmed to Asharq Al-Awsat the dismantling of the Saraya al-Khorasani.

“The decision was issued following an Iranian approval,” the source explained, adding that the PMF chief of staff Abdul Aziz al-Muhammadawi, known as Abu Fadak, directly supervised the dismantling process, for unknown reasons.

“It seems that the dismantling decision has the blessing of other factions in the PMF and was welcomed by the Iraqi government, particularly given the bad reputation associated with this faction at the local level.”

In May, Head of the PMF Faleh al-Fayyad relieved al-Jazairi and Waad Al-Qaddo of their duties. Both are known for their loyalty to Iran.

The decision has dealt a severe blow to the influence of the Iraqi militias affiliated with Tehran.

Jazairi has been accused of leading a team of snipers who killed protesters in Tahrir Square in central Baghdad in October last year, when Iraqis protested against Iranian influence in Iraq.

The Saraya al-Khorasani Brigades is closely linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and accused of doing Tehran’s “dirty” works in Iraq.



Arab-US Coordination Aims to Resolve Sudan Crisis

Group photo at the conclusion of the Geneva talks on Sudan in August 2023. (EPA)
Group photo at the conclusion of the Geneva talks on Sudan in August 2023. (EPA)
TT

Arab-US Coordination Aims to Resolve Sudan Crisis

Group photo at the conclusion of the Geneva talks on Sudan in August 2023. (EPA)
Group photo at the conclusion of the Geneva talks on Sudan in August 2023. (EPA)

An Egyptian official told Asharq Al-Awsat about new Arab-American efforts to support peace efforts in Sudan. The source, who requested anonymity, said that Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UAE, and the US are working together to help resolve the crisis in Sudan.

The official added that a meeting last weekend in Saudi Arabia, attended by officials from the four countries, focused on boosting efforts to end the crisis.

These four countries had previously joined US-led talks in Geneva in August, alongside the UN and the African Union, to try to end the war in Sudan. However, the talks stalled after the Sudanese government boycotted them.

The Egyptian source explained that the Saudi meeting was not part of the Geneva talks. Instead, the current group of four countries is focused on finding peaceful solutions.

The source also said more meetings are expected to continue pushing for an end to the war and for humanitarian aid to reach those in need.

Since April 2023, Sudan has been in a civil war between the Sudanese Army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), causing thousands of civilian deaths and displacing over 10 million people, both within Sudan and to neighboring countries, according to the UN.

After the war broke out, Saudi Arabia and the US hosted talks in Jeddah, leading to the signing of an agreement.

The agreement aimed to protect civilians and prevent the use of private and public facilities for military purposes. The Sudanese government insists on fully implementing the Jeddah agreement before starting direct talks with the RSF.

Former Egyptian Assistant Foreign Minister Mona Omar said uniting the efforts of key international players will help push for a ceasefire in Sudan. She noted that conflicting approaches from African, regional, and global powers have weakened attempts to end the war.

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Omar stressed that coordination between Egypt, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and the US would improve the effectiveness of humanitarian aid to those affected by the conflict, particularly in regions like Al-Fasher in Darfur and Gezira state, where conditions are critical.

She called for the focus of international efforts to be on “ceasefire, relief efforts, and creating a political roadmap to resolve the crisis.”