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Sunni blocs oppose legal immunity for Popular Mobilization Units

The Shiite Iraqi National Alliance is to propose legal immunity for the Popular Mobilization Units, but Sunni blocs in parliament are likely to object to the proposal.
Vehicles of the Hashid Shaabi (Popular Mobilization) take part in a military parade in the streets of Baghdad, Iraq July 12, 2016. REUTERS/Khalid al Mousily - RTSHJ8D
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BAGHDAD — The Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) do not hold any legal status in Iraq, with the exception of the Council of Ministers’ decision July 25, which considers the PMU a force working in parallel with the counterterrorism department at the Ministry of Interior. This means that anti-PMU parties or individuals can still press charges against some PMU elements. Therefore, the Shiite Iraqi National Alliance has been seeking to pass a new law it calls “PMU legal immunity” before battles against the Islamic State (IS) come to an end.

The proposal was put forth by parliament members in the Security and Defense Committee along with former Justice Minister Hassan al-Shamari.

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