The History, Development and Future of Iraq's Popular Mobilisation Forces

Abstract

Since 2014, the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) have become an important and powerful actor within Iraq. The PMF is an umbrella organisation made up of the militias that fought against the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group in Iraq between 2014 and 2017. This project provides an overview of the origins, ideological alignments and operational structures of the PMF’s constituent militias. The project views the PMF as a series of networks that operates within, alongside and outside the official institutions of the Iraqi state. Since the defeat of IS in 2017, the PMF has consolidated its position within Iraq and increased its power through military means, economic activities and participation in parliamentary elections. The PMF is currently well integrated into the Iraqi state, and its ability to maintain this position will continue to be an issue for the future of Iraq and the wider region.