The US Treasury Department announced sanctions today against Falih al-Fayadh, the chair of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Units (known variously as Hashd al-Shaabi, PMU and PMC), for his alleged role in violent repression of anti-corruption protests in 2019.
“During protests beginning in October 2019, Iran-aligned PMC forces attacked Iraqi civilians protesting against corruption, unemployment, economic stagnation, poor public services and Iranian interference in Iraq’s domestic affairs,” US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a press release.