Iraqi MP: Demands for Hashd Al-Shaabi’s Withdrawal Aimed at Fomenting Insecurity

A senior Iraqi legislator warned that demands by certain political groups for the withdrawal of Hashd al-Shaabi (popular forces) from the borders with Syria are aimed at the start of insecurity to pave the ground for the US redeployment in those regions.

“Security goals are pursued through demands by certain Sunni political sides for the withdrawal of Hashd al-Sahaabi units from al-Qa’em and the Syrian borders,” Karim al-Aliwi, member of the Iraqi parliament’s Security and Defense Committee, was quoted by the Arabic-language al-Ma’aloumeh news website as saying on Tuesday.

He cautioned that they want continued instability and insecurity in those regions where the Iraqi Army and Hashd al-Shaabi were responsible for the establishment of security.

Aliwi said that such demands are raised as a leverage for political pressures to pave the ground for the US continued deployment in Iraq and the ISIL return to the desert areas in al-Anbar.

A prominent military expert warned last week that Washington was implementing a plot in Western al-Anbar province to replace Hashd al-Shaabi with its own soldiers.

Safa al-A’asam told the Arabic-language al-Ma’aloumeh that a plan was being implemented by the US in collaboration with some political sides in Iraq so that the Hashd al-Shaabi forces withdraw from al-Qa’em and other parts of Western al-Anbar to deploy the American forces in those regions.

“The demands for the withdrawal of Hashd al-Shaabi forces from al-Qa’em and Western al-Anbar are aimed at creating a religious gap among Hashd al-Shaabi forces as it includes over 16 Sunni regiments stationed in those regions.

“The current political plan entails redeployment of the US forces in al-Qa’em and the adjacent areas under the pretext of security gaps and possible ISIL attacks after Hashd al-Shaabi’s withdrawal,” al-A’asam warned.