According to information reported by the news agency AFP, an air strike struck a base linked to the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) south of Mosul in northern Iraq. Two PMF sources confirmed to AFP that the incident involved a strike on a facility associated with the paramilitary coalition widely known as Hashed al-Shaabi. One official indicated that the location targeted belonged to the coalition and conveyed that the strike was believed to have been carried out by the United States, describing it as a likely American air operation. A second PMF source also confirmed that a strike had taken place at the base, though no additional operational details were disclosed in the report. The development highlights the continued sensitivity of Iraq’s security landscape, where multiple armed actors operate within a complex regional environment. International observers frequently monitor such incidents because of their potential implications for regional stability, counterterrorism operations, and the broader geopolitical relationship between Iraq and external military partners.
The Role of the Popular Mobilisation Forces in Iraq’s Security Structure
The Popular Mobilisation Forces emerged during the conflict against the extremist organization Islamic State, also known as ISIL. Formed as an umbrella alliance of armed groups mobilized to confront the militant organization’s rapid territorial expansion, the coalition later became integrated into Iraq’s formal security framework. Over time, the PMF developed into a large network comprising numerous factions with differing political and military alignments.
Several of the coalition’s most influential factions are widely recognized for maintaining close ties with Iran, a factor that has shaped regional perceptions of the group’s strategic orientation. At the same time, the Iraqi government formally incorporated the PMF into its national security apparatus, giving the organization a legally recognized role within the state’s defense structure.