Armed Factions Demand Dismissal of Prominent Officer Backed by Iraq PM

Kataib Hezbollah slams PM Kadhimi for Muslih's arrest.
Kataib Hezbollah slams PM Kadhimi for Muslih's arrest.
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Armed Factions Demand Dismissal of Prominent Officer Backed by Iraq PM

Kataib Hezbollah slams PM Kadhimi for Muslih's arrest.
Kataib Hezbollah slams PM Kadhimi for Muslih's arrest.

The Kataib Hezbollah armed faction in Iraq warned the Iraqi government against repeating the arrest of prominent commanders of the pro-Iran Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF).

It also called on the government to arrest whom it described as “aggressors” in wake of the detention and eventual release of prominent PMF commander Qassim Muslih.

Muslih was arrested in late May over his suspected involvement in the killing of prominent anti-government activist Ihab al-Wazni. He was released last week after much political pressure and escalation by the PMF. Head of Iran’s Quds Force commander Esmail Qaani had also visited Baghdad last week to ease the tensions.

A spokesman for Kataib Hezbollah, known as Abou Ali al-Askari, tweeted that Muslih’s arrest in the first place was a “spiteful” move by the government.

He warned “the traitor” – a reference to Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi – against repeating such a move “otherwise we will not return to our positions before the aggressors are behind bars.”

Muslih was released after a settlement was reached between the factions and government in return to an end to the escalation. Political sources said he was freed after massive political pressure was exerted.

Notably, Askari seemed to snub Iran, when he warned the government that “friends, neither east nor west,” will come to its aid should it repeat the arrest.

Informed sources said that the Kataib Hezbollah and other factions are gunning for General Ahmed Abou Ragheef, the officer who ordered Muslih’s arrest.

The armed factions have been wary of Abou Ragheef ever since Kadhimi tasked him in August 2020 with handling the “extraordinary crimes” committee that is in charge of investigating corruption cases.

Abou Ragheef had served as interior minister in 2008. He was relieved of his post by then PM Nouri al-Maliki after mounting suspicions that he was planning a military coup against the government. He was appointed as director of intelligence affairs in former PM Haidar al-Abadi’s government. Kadhimi then promoted him to become one of his most senior officers.

Months ago, Abou Ragheef launched a wave of arrests against corrupt politicians and government figures. Despite coming under fierce criticism from his opponents, Kadhimi continued to place his trust in Abou Ragheef.

The officer’s efforts have so far uncovered a vast network of suspicious alliances between Iraqi leaders, armed factions and organized crimes gangs.

The situation eventually came to a head with Muslih’s arrest.

Some armed factions want to eliminate Abou Ragheef “permanently” because of their growing conviction that he will not stop until he reaches the top Shiite positions of power.

A “significant” source from the PMF revealed that a new order of arrests will be made soon.

A PMF commander in Najaf city told Asharq Al-Awsat that factions such as Kataib Hezbollah and Asaib Ahl al-Haq want to exploit the Muslih crisis to punish Abou Ragheef.

“These factions are not exactly pleased with the Iranian maneuvers and settlements in the Iraqi file. They want to make actual moves against Kadhimi,” he revealed, adding however, that such a position is not shared by all Shiite groups.



Sistani Calls for Limiting Possession of Weapons to the Iraqi State

This handout picture released by the media office of Iraq's top Shiite authority Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani shows him (L) during a meeting with the new representative of the United Nations secretary general for Iraq and head of the UN Assistance Mission to the country (UNAMI), Mohamed al-Hassan of Oman (C), in the central Iraqi city of Najaf on November 4, 2024. (Photo by Sistani's Media Office / AFP)
This handout picture released by the media office of Iraq's top Shiite authority Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani shows him (L) during a meeting with the new representative of the United Nations secretary general for Iraq and head of the UN Assistance Mission to the country (UNAMI), Mohamed al-Hassan of Oman (C), in the central Iraqi city of Najaf on November 4, 2024. (Photo by Sistani's Media Office / AFP)
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Sistani Calls for Limiting Possession of Weapons to the Iraqi State

This handout picture released by the media office of Iraq's top Shiite authority Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani shows him (L) during a meeting with the new representative of the United Nations secretary general for Iraq and head of the UN Assistance Mission to the country (UNAMI), Mohamed al-Hassan of Oman (C), in the central Iraqi city of Najaf on November 4, 2024. (Photo by Sistani's Media Office / AFP)
This handout picture released by the media office of Iraq's top Shiite authority Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani shows him (L) during a meeting with the new representative of the United Nations secretary general for Iraq and head of the UN Assistance Mission to the country (UNAMI), Mohamed al-Hassan of Oman (C), in the central Iraqi city of Najaf on November 4, 2024. (Photo by Sistani's Media Office / AFP)

Iraq's top Shiite authority Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani announced seven factors that would achieve Iraq’s stability.

He made his remarks shortly after Israeli television reported that he was among a list of assassination targets alongside leader of the Houthis in Yemen Abdulmalek al-Houthi, Lebanon’s Hezbollah Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem, commander of Iran’s Quds Forces Esmail Qaani and Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei.

Sistani received on Monday new representative of the United Nations secretary-general and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) Dr. Mohamed al-Hassan of Oman.

A statement from Sistani’s office called on Iraqis to “derive lessons from the past and to work tirelessly to overcome setbacks and work on building a better future where everyone can live in security, stability and prosperity.”

Sistani has since 2015 been refusing to meet with Iraqi officials in protest over rampant corruption in the country and over how his recommendations have been ignored.

Overcoming corruption demands drafting a practical plan to run the country that relies on competency and integrity and that prevents foreign meddling in Iraq, he added.

It also called for imposing the rule of law and limiting the possession of weapons to the state, he stressed.

“The Iraqis have a long path ahead of them,” he said.

The Iraqi government had protested against the Israeli assassination target list, specifically Sistani’s inclusion in it, calling on the international community to condemn attempts to attack figures who enjoy influence and international respect.

Sistani also said he was “deeply pained by the ongoing tragedies in Lebanon and Gaza,” noting that it was “deeply unfortunate” that the international community and its institutions “have been incapable of imposing effective solutions” to end them or at least protect civilians from Israel’s assaults.

For his part, al-Hassan said he reached an agreement with Sistani to bolster Iraq’s regional and international standing.