“The latest Abadi statements against Hashd al-Shaabi are very unfortunate,” Qais al-Khazali, secretary general of the Hashd Asaib Ahl al-Haq faction, said in a tweet on Thursday.
“Abadi has to know that the project to dissolve Hashd al-Shaabi or melting it ended with the end of his term, and such stances won’t help him regain the premiership,” Khazaali added.
Khazali was responding to criticism leveled at Hashd al-Shaabi leaders by Abadi in an interview with the Iraqi al-Rasheed network, aired July 13.
In the interview, the former prime minister said he issued two decrees during his tenure to organize Hashd al-Shaabi to “protect” it from leaders who wished to exploit it for political and economic ends.
Abadi indirectly claimed some Hashd factions do not follow the orders of the commander-in-chief – Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi.
He also indirectly accused the “opposing bloc” in last year’s government formation talks – the Hashd-dominated Fatih Alliance – of working under the mentality of “either I get everything or destroy the country”, thereby denying Abadi a second term in office.
Fatih is a political umbrella composed of all the political branches of Hashd al-Shaabi, many of which foster close relations with Iran. In Iraq’s May 12, 2018 parliamentary election, Fatih secured the second biggest share of seats, giving the Hashd considerable influence over government formation talks.
They strongly rejected a second term for Abadi, widely seen as America’s preferred candidate.
Abadi further claimed there are “small, obscure factions” within Hashd that may have been “compromised”, who could do something against US or Iranian interests in Iraq leading to a confrontation.
“There is a fear that Iraq could contribute to a war by us not meeting our responsibilities,” Abadi warned.
The former PM also criticized the predominantly Shiite Hashd forces for their continued presence inside Sunni-majority cities in northern Iraq. Hashd’s task “is not to protect cities but to fight Daesh”, he said, using the Arabic acronym for the Isalmic State group (ISIS).
Abadi’s criticism of Hashd al-Shaabi is nothing new. In a May 2019 interview with state-run al-Iraqiya TV, Abadi demanded a probe into how Hashd leaders acquired their wealth.
Even during his final days as PM, Abadi clashed with Abo Mahdi al-Mohandis, deputy head of Hashd al-Shaabi Commission, over the paramilitias’ independent activities.
Khazali’s response to Abadi also throws up questions about Abdul-Mahdi’s efforts to fully integrate Hashd al-Shaabi into the Iraqi armed forces.
On July 1, Iraq’s serving prime minister issued a decree ordering Hashd factions to close their offices, suspend their checkpoints and economic activities, and submit to absorption into the official Iraqi defense apparatus.
The PM claimed on Tuesday the Hashd factions are complying with the integration decree, but he has also admitted that the plan does not amount to dissolving Hashd al-Shaabi.
Hashd al-Shaabi was formed in 2014 based on a fatwa (religious decree) by Ayatollah Ali Sistani, the highest Shiite authority in Iraq, when ISIS militants were advancing on the Iraqi capital.
Each paramilitary group has its own name. The most well-known among them include Asaib Ahl al-Haq, the Badr Corps, and Hezbollah Iraq.
Implementation of Abdul-Mahdi’s decree is less than certain, considering the extensive political influence of Hashd groups.
Abdul-Mahdi has been under pressure to curb the actions of Iran-affiliated groups after a spate of rocket attacks against US military and economic targets in Iraq, with attacks carried out on ExxonMobil’s Basra headquarters and military camps where US troops are stationed, as well as a near-miss attack against the US embassy in Baghdad.
Iran-backed paramilitias are suspected to be behind the attacks.
