What's in store for Iraq's PMU after death of top commander?
The Popular Mobilization Units will face fragmentation and division after the assassination of Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who was the backbone of the Iran-backed organization.
Shiite populist cleric Muqtada al-Sadr seems to be ambling for the lead of Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) factions in the absence of its deputy head, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who — according to Washington Institute researcher Michael Knights — was “the first archenemy of the United States.”
On Jan. 17, Sadr called on all factions to form mass protests against what he called the US occupation; they all responded to his request.
On the other hand, Hadi al-Ameri, head of the Badr Organization, is setting up meetings in both Baghdad and Tehran with faction leaders to unify their discourse — this raises the possibility of his nomination for a leadership position in the PMU in the future.
The PMU in Iraq has lost strength since the United States assassinated Muhandis along with Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani, head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' (IRGC) Quds Force, upon their exit from Baghdad International Airport on Jan. 3.
