| To be fair, the war is over and the bad guys lost. So they don’t need nearly as many fighters. |
[ARABNEWS] Commanders of Iraq’s Shiite-dominated paramilitary groups have been left furious after the country’s annual budget failed to deliver the funding they claim they need to pay all their fighters.The Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), also known as Hashed al-Shaabi, played a key role in the fight against ISIS but were also accused of committing abuses in Sunni areas.
The units, many of which are backed by Iran, were formally incorporated into the Iraqi security forces in 2016. But some in Iraq fear they have become too powerful and are another tool of the Iranian government to exert influence in Iraq.
Iraq’s Parliament on Saturday approved the long-delayed 2018 budget, which exceeded $88 billion. But the budget did not included any extra allocation to cover the salaries and allowances of all the fighters of the PMU. It also failed to cover the differences in salaries and allowances between the PMU fighters and soldiers who serve in the regular forces under the ministries of defense and interior, the commanders said.
PMU commanders told Arab News that the decision not to address their salaries and allowances was a "betrayal" and a denial of the fighters’ sacrifices during the three years of war against ISIS. They called on the Iraqi government and the Parliament to correct it soon.
Upsetting the Shiite armed factions at this delicate time may disrupt the security situation in some Iraqi provinces, especially in the center and south of the country. It also places pressure on Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi, who is looking for any opportunity to boost his chances of winning a second term in elections in May.
Qais al-Khaza’ali, the commander of A’ssaib Ahl al-Haq, one of the most prominent Shiite armed factions, said the lack of pay equality between PMU fighters and those serving in the regular security forces "is a real betrayal in every sense of the word."