Iraqi prime minister attends PMU parade
The Iraqi Popular Mobilization Units held a military parade June 26 that was attended by Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi as chief commander of the armed forces.
Iraq's Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) organized its first military parade June 26, on the seventh anniversary of the organization's founding. The parade took place at Camp Ashraf, which was the headquarters of Mujahedeen-e Khalq, in Diyala governorate, about 100 kilometers (62 miles) northeast of Baghdad.
Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, who also serves as chief commander of the armed forces, delivered a short speech at the event.
The parade, as well as the participation of Kadhimi and other Iraqi leaders, conveyed symbolic significance. Kadhimi stood alone in the first line, saluting the military units.
Right behind him was Defense Minister Juma Inad with to his right Interior Minister Othman Ghanemi and the national security adviser. To his left stood Chief of Staff of the Iraqi army Lt. Gen. Abdul Amir Yarallah, head of the Fatah bloc that includes a number of PMU political wings, head of the PMU Faleh al-Fayadh and PMU Chief of Staff Abdul Aziz al-Mohammadawi.
