The latest draft seeks to place Popular Mobilization Forces units under a unified command,
limit their autonomy, and strengthen the authority of the Iraqi Army
The draft law governing Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), also known as Hashd al-Shaabi, has been amended again as the Iraqi government seeks to restructure the force and place its affiliated armed groups under tighter state control.
The bill had previously reached parliament but was shelved after facing strong opposition from the United States and objections from Kurdish and Sunni political factions. The government has since introduced substantial changes to address concerns over the PMF’s structure, authority, and relationship with other Iraqi security institutions.
According to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, the Coordination Framework played a central role in revising the legislation. The latest amendments reportedly require PMF forces to withdraw from urban centers and prevent individual armed factions from making independent decisions.
Under the revised framework, all PMF units would operate directly under a unified supreme command, limiting the autonomy of individual factions and commanders.
One of the key issues remains whether the United States will distinguish between the PMF as an official state institution and the individual armed factions operating within it. The bill’s prospects could depend heavily on Washington’s assessment of the proposed changes.
The previous draft, which faced strong US opposition, reportedly incorporated around 70 armed groups into the PMF structure and granted the organization broad powers.
The latest version removes provisions that were seen as weakening the position of the Iraqi Army. It also reduces the authority and rank of individual PMF commanders, prohibits rival factions from forming internal alliances, and requires all units to follow a single chain of command.
Another provision would require PMF commanders who have reached the age of 60 to retire.
According to a source cited by Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s government seeks to transform the PMF into a standardized security institution similar to Iraq’s Counter-Terrorism Service and Rapid Response Division, while removing its forces from populated areas.
The source said al-Zaidi began laying the groundwork for the revised legislation during his visit to the United States. The proposed changes aim to give the PMF a more distinctly Iraqi institutional framework and ensure that it does not surpass or rival Iraq’s regular armed forces.
Despite continuing US concerns, the government hopes the revised legislation will gain broader domestic and international acceptance and eventually secure parliamentary approval.