The Hashd’s 30th Brigade showed once again why Prime Ministers Haidar Abadi and Adil Mahdi both ordered them to leave Mosul and the Ninewa Plains. The unit stopped the motorcade of Ninewa Deputy Governor Sirwan Rozbayani and Parliamentarian Shirwan Dobardani at a checkpoint in Gojali just outside of east Mosul, and got into an altercation. Four bodyguards of the two politicians were detained and injured, and only released an hour later.
In August 2018 and then in July 2019 PM Abadi and PM Mahdi issued
orders for the brigade to leave Ninewa, but it refused. The 30th
Brigade has been accused of forcing Christians out of towns, confiscating
property, blocking aid groups from entering, extorting money at checkpoints,
running the scrap metal business in Mosul, illegal arrests and kidnappings. The
commander of the unit Waad Qado was sanctioned by the United States in July as
well. Instead of complying with Premier Mahdi, the group staged two days of
protests on the Mosul-Irbil road. Rather than confronting the Hashd, the prime
minister sent a delegation to Ninewa, who worked out a deal for the 30th
Brigade to stay put. Having faced down Baghdad, they continue with their strong
arm tactics as shown with the deputy governor and MP. The government was silent
about this incident because Mahdi has proven to be a feckless leader. Once
again, a Hashd brigade has shown that it follows its own will rather than the
authorities despite being a part of the Iraqi forces.
SOURCES
Ghafuri, Lawk, “Brigade 30 of Hashd al-Shaabi
attack a convoy of the Kurdish MP Dubardani and deputy governor of #Mosul
Rozhbayani in Gogjali area in Nineveh province. According to MP Dubardani media
office Hashd kidnapped 4 of the MP and deputy governor guards and freed them
after an hour.” 9/11/19
Rudaw, “The Popular Mobilization interferes with
the deputy governor of Nineveh and a parliamentarian and assaults their
security,” 9/11/19
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