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.