Falih al-Fayyadh, the head of the paramilitary Popular Mobilization Forces (Hashd al-Sha’bi) has promised the families of the “martyrs” of militia group residential parcels of land in Kirkuk.
The promise was made during a visit by al-Fayyadh to Kirkuk on 10 January for a commemoration day of the killing of the Iranian General Qasim Sulaymani and abu-Mahdi al-Muhandis, al-Fayyadh’s deputy.
A source within the PMF, who wished to remain unnamed because he is unauthorized to speak to the press, told KirkukNow: “During his visit, Falih al-Fayyadh has promised that the families of the martyrs and members of the PMF would get residential land in Kirkuk province through the government, the Interior Ministry and the Ministry of Housing.”
Falih al-Fayyadh has promised that the families of the martyrs and members of the PMF would get residential land in Kirkuk province through the government
Ali al-Husayni, a spokesman for the PMF’s Northern Front, told KirkukNow: “Yea, the PMF has asked the Iraqi government to show its willingness to distribute land among its martyrs and members. The PMF is part of the [governing] system and a formal force, that’s why it must get the benefits and land grants like other security forces.”
Kirkuk, 10n January 2021 – Falih al-Fayyadh during Chairman of PMU during commemoration of the killing of his deputy, abu-Mahdi al-Muhandis and the Iranian General Qasim Sulaymani – photo: KirkukNow
“We have sent our request and await the reply. The government has not given us an answer yet. But we believe that the answer of the request will be positive, because the PMF has given blood and lives for the protection of Iraq.”
The PMF has been deployed throughout the Kirkuk province, including Kirkuk City, since the events of 16 October 2017.
On 25 September 2017, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) held a referendum in the Kurdistan Region and the disputed territories, including Kirkuk, but in less than a month, on 16 October, military forces of the Federal Government staged and assault on KRG’s Peshmerga forces, expelling them from the disputed areas and ending KRG’s rule there.
In October 2020, the PMF formed a 500-member force in Kirkuk named ‘abu-Mahdi al-Muhandis Force’, which after three months of training was stationed inside Kirkuk International Airport. The force is meant to function as a rapid-response force, according to PMF.
