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Popular Mobilization Forces (Iraq)

Hashd al Shaabi

Last modified: 2024-05-18 by ian macdonald
Keywords: iraq | popular mobilization force | al-hashd |
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Background

The Mahdi Army, or JAM (Jaysh al-Mahdi) has evolved into the Promised Day Brigades and then into the Peace Companies (Saraya al-Salam), frequently mistakenly still called "Peace Brigades" in United States media. They are an Iraqi armed group linked to Iraq's Shia community. The Peace Brigades were created by the Iraqi Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr in June 2003 and disbanded in 2008 only to be revived since 2014 in the much more broad sense of a Popular Mobilization Forces (al-Hashd al-Shaabi). The Peace Companies emerged again in 2014 replacing the Promised Day Brigades into a much more elaborate network of cooperation under the People's Mobilization (Forces).
The People's Mobilization (Forces) (al-Hashd al-Shaabi), also known as the National Mobilization (al-Hashd al-Watani), and as the Popular Mobilization Forces/Units/Committee (PMF/PMU/PMC), is an Iraqi state-sponsored umbrella organization composed of some 40, mainly Shiite, militias (there also Sunni, Christian, and Yazidi groups). The People's Mobilization was formed for deployment against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. The organization was formed by uniting existing militias under the "People's Mobilization Committee" of the Iraqi Ministry of Interior in June of 2014. Despite being a force outside the Iraqi regular armed services, militants of the Popular Mobilization Forces openly reject the qualification of "militia".
This framework of cooperation is coordinated by the Iraqi State and acts (loosely) as a confederation of forces, of which the three main driving forces are: "The League of the Righteous" (As-saib Ahl al Haq), "Hezbollah Brigades" (Kata'ib Hezbollah) and the "Promised Day Brigades" which evolved into the "Peace Companies" (Sources: Popular Mobilization Forces (Iraq) and Peace Companies and Special Groups (Iraq), and other lesser groups, such as the Badr Organization and the Battalion of the Sayyid's Martyrs (Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada - KSS) in Iraq.)
Now, back to Mahdi Army: we feature the above image, sent to the list by William Garrison. He mentions the original source to be Getty images. Here are a few more of those pictures (all of them were taken in Baghdad Shiite district of Sadr City, July 21, 2006):
      - Image #1 (flag in the middle) and (source)
      - Image #2 (flag in the middle) and (source)
      - Image #3 (flag in the middle) and (source)
      - Image #4 and (source)
      - Image #5 and (source).
The flag is a horizontal green flag, with the map of Iraq in the middle in white outline, with fourteen white rays coming out of the center of the Iraq map outwards, with an Iraqi flag in the right corner, and below the Iraq map, two crossed white swords (most likely a type of scimitar) with the black grip.
Esteban Rivera, 27 March 2016

#49a   #49b
Images from Randy Young, 1 April 2016

I attempted to create of the first two Popular Mobilization Forces flags that Esteban listed in his E-mail - the current logo on the white field (#49a) and the previous yellow flag with the red logo (#49b). Unfortunately, I was not able to gif the red flag with the inscription that he also linked in his E-mail. I'll keep trying, though, and hopefully be able to come up with a reasonable facsimile in the future. Please let me know if there are any changes or corrections that need to be made to the attached graphics.
Randy Young, 1 April 2016

Soldiers of Imam Ali Battalions

  images located by William Garrison, 10 December 2020, 26 October 2023

A yellow "Popular Mobilization Force" (PMF) flag, sourced from https://www.wfdd.org/story/shiite-militias-move-sunni-city-what-happens-next.

Caption: c. April 2, 2015:
Iraqi (Shiite-Muslim) militia forces (a.k.a.: "Popular Mobilization Forces": PMF) carrying yellow militia flag celebrate after retaking the rebel city of (Sunni-Muslim) Tikrit, Iraq.
Haydar Hadi / Andalou Agency/Getty Images
William Garrison, 10 December 2020

A yellow "Popular Mobilization Force" (PMF) flag, sourced from https://www.wfdd.org/story/shiite-militias-move-sunni-city-what-happens-next. Although it is listed as a "Popular Mobilization Force" flag, no specific militia name is posted for it.

New identified name: "Soldiers of Imam Ali Battalions" ["Jund al-Imam Ali Kataib"]. Not to be confused with a similar sounding militia: "Kataib Imam Ali"; the only way how to tell them apart is by looking at their different logos/shields. Depending on the translation, the Arabic words for battalion and brigade are sometimes interchanged.
Source: https://oefoif.forumotion.net/t6606p30-popular-defense-brigade-and-league-of-the-righteous-flags
William Garrison, 26 October 2023


Shia/Shiite militia

image from William Garrison, 22 August 2019

Shia/Shiite militia Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), misc.
source: https://jihadintel.meforum.org/identifiers/21/flags
William Garrison, 22 August 2019

The first flag (white, green map with a red ribbon below) is from Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq (Asa'ib Ahlulhaq عصائب الحق), "League of People of Righteousness" also known as the Khazali Network and previously known as Ahl al-Kahf. This is an Iranian proxy militia originated in 2004 as a split from Muqtada al-Sadr's Mahdi Army. The group leader is Qais al-Khazali.

The other flag is from the military wing of the Badr Organization.
Jaume Olle, 31 August 2019

Those flags are of The League of the Righteous and Badr Organization.
Esteban Rivera, 31 August 2019

image from William Garrison, 9 November 2019

Flag, Iraq, Shiite/Shia Muslim militia, c. 2016

"Soldiers of the Hashd Al Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Units) wave the victory sign onboard a pickup truck, on their way to Tal Afar [Iraq] airport on November 20, 2016. (AFP Photo)"

Popular Mobilization Forces (Iraq) With regard to the official native name, the Arabic word الشعبي (al-shaabi) translates as "people's" or "popular", as referred to the people; the Arabic word الحشد (al-hashd) translates as "mobilization", as in the group of people mobilized or the process of mobilization.

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/iraq-s-ascendant-shia-militias-take-the-fight-to-tal-afar/story-c2KDBmb5TUR8HESSNdgD0N.html

William Garrison, 9 November 2019

From left to right:
1. The League of the Righteous
2. Harakat al-Nujaba 
3. Hezbollah Brigades (variant)
4. Mehdi Army / Peace Companies

Esteban Rivera, 31 October 2023


Al-Ashtar Brigade

image located by William Garrison, 26 March 2020

Source: http://oefoif.forumotion.net/t6606p30-popular-defense-brigade-and-league-of-the-righteous-flags
Citation: Al-Ashtar Brigade (the bottom yellow line reads: Saraya al-Ashtar ), a Shia-Muslim unit opposed to the Sunni-Muslim government of Bahrain, c. Jan. 2016.
William Garrison, 26 March 2020


al-Hashd al-Shaabi

image from William Garrison, 20 August 2019

Flag, Iraq, al-Hashd al-Shaabi outside city of Albu Ajil, east of Tikrit/Takrit, Iraq.
A Shia-Muslim, Popular Mobilization Force (PMF), c. August 2019
source: http://www.arabnews.com/node/1541696
William Garrison, 20 August 2019

image from William Garrison, 5 January 2020

Two side-by-side versions of the Iraq-based "Hashd al-Shaabi" flag: the regular white one, and a red one -- which most likely symbolizes the blood shed by martyred soldiers of this Shiite-Muslim "Popular Mobilization Force" (PMF); c. Jan. 2020. It may be a sub-unit of "Hashd al-Shaabi".
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/inpictures/pictures-thousands-march-baghdad-mourn-soleimani-200104094026338.html
William Garrison, 5 January 2020

  images located by William Garrison, 18 October 2020

The overall coalition of various private-militias operating in Iraq is referred to as the "Popular Mobilization Force (PMF)" or "Hashd al-Shaabi". This coalition includes the "Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asa%27ib_Ahl_al-Haq, "League of the Righteous", a Shiite-Muslim private-militia unit. The "source" notes that this flag was carried by the "Popular Mobilization Forces" (Hashd al-Shaabi) during a funeral for members of the Shiite-Muslim group "Asa'ib Ahl al-Haqq" in 2019. ["Haq" is sometimes spelled or transliterated as "Haqq".] The logo of al-Shaabi has been incorporated into the bottom black stripe of the Iraqi national flag. The slogan on the white stripe reads "Allah Akbar" or "God is Great".
Bill Garrison, 18 October 2020

This flag may well be a makeshift variant flag of the Popular Mobilization Forces including one of its many factions, in this case As-saib Ahl al Haq's logo in the bottom black stripe, an adaptation really, but it is not an official flag for either one.
Esteban Rivera, 18 October 2020


Al-Sabr Bde

image located by William Garrison, 31 March 2023

Flag reads "Al-Sabr Brigade" and "The Patient Ones" (a slogan that refers to a sentence (ayat) in the Muslim's holy book, Quran 2:153); c. 2015. The design of the country shown is that of Iraq. "Sabr" in Arabic spans the concepts of: patient, endurance, persistence. The rifle-world logo mimics that of Hezbollah, thereby indicating some affiliation with that Shia-Muslim organization. There is a flag-pole sleeve on the right (hoist). This is a Shia-Muslim militia (PMF: Popular Mobilization Forces) in Iraq.
William Garrison, 31 March 2023


Ideological affairs arm

image from William Garrison, 18 November 2019

Caption: " A flag of the ideological affairs arm of the popular mobilization forces [PMF] as seen in the town of Bartella, Ninewa province. Iraq - July 2019."
Source: https://enablingpeace.org/checking-iranian-power-in-iraq/
William Garrison, 18 November 2019


Imam Ali Battalion

Imam Ali Battalion image located by William Garrison, 27 March 2020

Source: http://oefoif.forumotion.net/t6606p30-popular-defense-brigade-and-league-of-the-righteous-flags
Citation: Map of Iraq, Imam Ali Battalion ("Ali" in Arabic appears below the AK-47 gun); c. Jan. 2016.
William Garrison, 27 March 2020

image located by William Garrison, 11 November 2020

In Baghdad's Tahrir Square, the epicentre of months-long protests, the killing of Iran's elite forces chief Qassem Suleimani has left many nervous that their country could be about to become the battleground for a war over US and Iranian interests. (The National News)
The caption reads: "Unidentified green Iraqi flag carried alongside white PMF (Popular Mobilization Forces or al-Hashd ash-Sha'bï) flag during demonstration in Najaf, Iraq c. Jan. 2020."
Source: https://www.thenationalnews.com/world/mena/
William Garrison, 11 November 2020

This is the flag of the Second Brigade Formations of Imam (AS) Combat Team, part of the Imam Ali Fighting Division. Shi'a militia in Iraq that identifies itself as part of the "Popular Mobilization" (Hashd Sha'abi). The militia identifies with the site of the Imam Ali shrine in Najaf and the religious hawza (seminary) in that city. In Flag Report 96 there were pictured several flag of this militia and its brigades
Jaume Ollé, 11 November 2020

Kata'ib al-Imam Ali, also known as the Imam Ali Battalions, are the armed wing of the Islamic Movement of Iraq (Harakat al-Iraq al-Islamiyah) and is a Shi'a militia formed as part of the wider Shi'a mobilization against the renewed Sunni Arab insurgency in Iraq in 2014 (War in Iraq (2013-2017) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_in_Iraq_(2013)), serving as part of the umbrella organization "Popular Mobilization Forces". Kata'ib al-Imam Ali is prominently involved in the Iraqi Civil War, fighting against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). The group's secretary general has been apparently involved with the Sadrist movement and was a one-time commander in Muqtada al-Sadr's Mahdi Army.
Sources: https://jihadintel.meforum.org/group/131/kataib-al-imam-ali  and
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kata%27ib_al-Imam_Ali 
Official website: http://kt-imam-ali.com
Esteban Rivera, 31 October 2023

Imam Mohammed Al-Jawad Brigade

image located by William Garrison, 25 March 2020

Source: http://oefoif.forumotion.net/t6606p30-popular-defense-brigade-and-league-of-the-righteous-flags
Caption: Imam Mohammed Al-Jawad Brigade, The First Brigade; c. Jan. 2016. The two-prong sword indicates that this is a Shia-Muslim unit.
William Garrison, 25 March 2020


Karbala Falcons Brigade

image located by William Garrison, 20 June 2021

Source: https://jihadintel.meforum.org/identifier/621/martyr-sadr-forces-formations-liwa-suqur-karbala
Caption: "Liwa Suqur Karbala" (Karbala Falcons Brigade), part of Shia-Muslim Martyr Sadr Forces {PMF: Popular Mobilization Forces militia}; c. May 2021.

Martyr Sadr Forces Formations: Liwa Suqur Karbala
"Karbala Falcons Brigade"- one of the Martyr Sadr Forces Formations: headed by Ali al-Fatla
William Garrison, 20 June 2021


Kataib al-Ghadab

image located by William Garrison, 25 March 2020

Source: http://oefoif.forumotion.net/t6606p30-popular-defense-brigade-and-league-of-the-righteous-flags
Caption: Iraq, Anger Brigade (PMF: Popular Mobilization Force) flag, c. Jan. 2016
William Garrison, 25 March 2020

image located by William Garrison, 26 October 2023

The correct name is "Kataib al-Ghadab" or "Ghadab Bde" as noted in black Arabic on the top line of the shield (and again just below the AK-47 rifle). On the white stripe is the slogan: "Allah Akbar" or "Allah is the greatest"; c. 2015. There is a flag-pole sleeve at the right (hoist).
William Garrison, 26 October 2023


Kataib al-Tayar al-Risali

image located by Esteban Rivera, 14 November 2023

Kataib al-Tayar al-Risali, abbreviated as Risaliyun (The Upholders of the Message) were established in 2000. It has been relaunched as the new Iraqi Missionary (Messenger) Movement. Its military wing, (Missionary) Messenger Movement Brigades) was established in 2014.
Sources: https://alkhanadeq.com/post.php?id=174 and
https://ar.wikipedia.org

Its flag is a yellow horizontal background with the logo in the middle.
Esteban Rivera, 14 November 2023

Logo

image located by Esteban Rivera, 14 November 2023

Source: https://ar.wikipedia.org

image located by Esteban Rivera, 14 November 2023

This flag is probably related to the Kataib al-Tayar al-Risali, abbreviated as Risaliyun (English: The Upholders of the Message) movement, since it has been published on their social media.
Source: https://www.facebook.com/1597994380418013/photos

The flag is a green horizontal background with the logo in the middle.
Esteban Rivera, 14 November 2023


Liwa (Battalion) Ali al-Akbar

image from Jaume Ollé, 2 August 2019

According Flag Report 96, this flag [a possible unit variant] is from the Shiite militia Brigades of Ali al-Akbar, loyal to Ali al Sistani, the respected ayatollah of Iraq. Headquarters at Baiji. Operations at north of Tikrit.
Jaume Ollé, 2 August 2019

The flag of Liwa (Battalion) Ali al-Akbar. It was established in 2014 and it is within the Popular Mobilization Forces the 11th Brigade. It is named after Ali al-Akbar, the son of Al-Husayn ibn Ali, the third Shia Imam, and Umm Layla, sometimes fully spelled as Ali al-Akbar ibn Al-Husayn. The Popular Mobilization Forces is an umbrella organization that comprises some 60-70 armed units/factions, of which Liwa Ali al-Akbar is one of them. (source #1, source #2 and source #3)
The flag has a horizontal green background, featuring the logo in the middle, as already depicted (image and source)
For the umbrella organization labeled as Popular Mobilization Forces, we include further information on the following entry: "UFE13-49. "Hezbollah, Iraq-Lenanon, ISIS Flag?" pending reorganization and update on the respective Iraq section.
For additional information on the Popular Mobilization Forces please go to al-Hashed (official website).
Esteban Rivera, 31 August 2019

image located by William Garrison, 10 June 2022

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/weeks-after-recapturing-mosul-iraq-retakes-tal-afar-centre-citadel-from-islamic-state/story-Srk0ZkxZA0Vi8YosbuwwJI.html

A variety of the "Liwa (battalion) Ali al-Akbar" flag. Here, this "Popular Mobilization Force" (PMF) unit's logo appears in the bottom black stripe of the national Iraq flag in Tal Afar, Iraq; c. August 2017. Thaier Al-Sudani (REUTERS)
William Garrison, 10 June 2022


Najafi Brigade

image located by William Garrison, 26 March 2020

Source: http://oefoif.forumotion.net/t6606p30-popular-defense-brigade-and-league-of-the-righteous-flags
Caption: "Najafi" brigade; bottom line reads "al-Najafi" in Arabic, Iraq, c. Jan. 2016; the two-prong sword indicates that this is a Shia-Muslim unit.
William Garrison, 26 March 2020


Praise Brigade

image located by William Garrison, 26 March 2020

source: http://oefoif.forumotion.net/t6606p30-popular-defense-brigade-and-league-of-the-righteous-flags
Citation: "Praise" brigade, Iraq, c. an. 2016, the map of Iraq and the two-prong sword indicates that this is a Shia-Muslim unit.
William Garrison, 26 March 2020


Saraya al-Jihad

  images (obverse and reverse) located by William Garrison, 5 January 2021

caption: "Saraya al-Jihad" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arabic_language: سرايا الجهاد‎, "Jihad Companies") or as the "Popular Mobilization Forces' 17th Brigade", is an Iraqi Shia-Muslim group and the armed wing of the "Jihad and Development Movement" operating in Iraq and Syria [c. 2019], under the command of the "Popular Mobilization Forces" (PMF). While the "Iraqi flag triangle" and the "rifle" designs appear to be the same images but just reversed, one notes that the slogans have been switched, so that on both sides all slogans read properly in Arabic (front right-to-left). Hence, on both sides the "Allah Akbar" reads correctly in the "Iraqi flag triangle", as does the group's name below the rifle: "Saraya al-Jihad".
William Garrison, 5 January 2021


Sub-unit flag

image located by William Garrison, 21 December 2021

source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/iraqi-shia-paramilitary-chief-seeks-to-put-troops-under-national-army/story-8UcnIyDy7y1DqkuKVEv7fO.html
The commander of Iraq's biggest Shia Muslim paramilitary group told its fighters on Thursday to take their orders from the national military and cut their ties with the group's political wing.

As this green-field Shi'ite-Muslim flag contains the generic Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) logo near the bottom of the flag, it may be an unidentified PMF sub-unit, as seen on the outskirts of Tal Afa, Iraq; c. early Dec 2021.
William Garrison, 21 December 2021


Tanks Battalion

image located by William Garrison, 1 November 2022

From https://tcf.org, a green-field flag with the image of a black tank (and to its left the generic Hezbollah logo) and red-Arabic slogans that read (from top to bottom) "Battalion, Tanks, Mobilization, Popular" or in a little better idiomatic English: "Popular Mobilization Tanks Battalion".
William Garrison, 1 November 2022

Another picture from https://warontherocks.com shows the same flag.
I'm a bit confused since the picture mentioned by Bill shows a tank which features both an Iraqi flag insignia on ton of the turret, accompanied by the same symbol (a diamond-shaped arm with an AK-47) of
the Pasdaran). It could perhaps be either a Pasdaran related Unit or the Hezbollah Brigades (Iraq).
Esteban Rivera, 2 November 2022

According to Wikipedia: "Kata'ib Hezbollah [ 'Battalions of the Party of God'] —or the Hezbollah Battalions—is a radical Iraqi Shiite paramilitary group which is part of the Popular Mobilization Forces [PMF] backed by Iran."

The Wikipedia article clearly states that the Hezbollah Battalions/Brigades is an Iraqi militia which "is part of the PMF" of Iraq (not of Iran where the Pasdaran hang out). {Regarding their possible different philosophies, how incestuous these militias are I am not too sure, despite their differences I'm sure that they share a "group hug" whenever they do get together.}
William Garrison, 3 November 2022


Zainab's Protector Brigade

image located by William Garrison, 25 March 2020

Source: http://oefoif.forumotion.net/t6606p30-popular-defense-brigade-and-league-of-the-righteous-flags
Caption: Iraq (Syria), Zainab's Protector Brigade, c. Jan 2016
William Garrison, 25 March 2020

Variant flag

image located by William Garrison, 25 March 2020

Source: http://oefoif.forumotion.net/t6606p30-popular-defense-brigade-and-league-of-the-righteous-flags
Citation: "League of the Righteous" flag, Iraq, c. Jan. 2016 [the two-prong Zulifqur sword indicates that this is a Shia-Muslim unit]
William Garrison, 25 March 2020


Compilations of PMD flags

images located by William Garrison, 27 March 2020

Source: http://oefoif.forumotion.net/t6606p30-popular-defense-brigade-and-league-of-the-righteous-flags
Key (8 flags in 2 jpg attachments):
1 - Conquering Lion of God
2 - Awaited Mehdi
3 - Islamic Merit Party
4 - Badr Organization
5 - Imam Ali Brigade
6 - Peace Brigades
7 - Popular Crowds (Mobilization)
8 - League of People's Righteous
William Garrison, 27 March 2020


Green flag at Tal Afar airport

image from William Garrison, 2 December 2019

Flag (green), Iraq, unknown PMU (Popular Mobilization Unit).
Source: https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2019/07/iraq-pmu-iraq-us-saudi.html
Caption: Popular Mobilization Units gather around the Tal Afar airport as they and Iraqi forces backed by local militia, Aug. 27, 2017
Read more: https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2019/07/iraq-pmu-iraq-us-saudi.html#ixzz66vefyouu
William Garrison, 2 December 2019