Abadi: Al-Hashd al-Shabi became under direct command of General Commander of Armed Forces

Baghdad – (IraqiNews.com) Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi praised passaging a law to merge the volunteer al-Hashd al-Shaabi militias with the Iraqi army, and emphasized that according to this law, al-Hashd al-Shaabi militia became under the direct command of the General Commander of Armed Forces.

Abadi said in a press statement, “We congratulate Iraqi people and heroes of al-Hashd al-Shaabi, and emphasize the importance of passaging the law that will allow us to thank those fighters for their sacrifices.”

“Based on the new law, al-Hashd al-Shaabi militia became under the direct command of General Commander of Armed Forces, and it will defend all Iraqis wherever they are,” Abadi added.

Earlier today, at least 210 members of the Iraqi parliament voted in favor of a highly-divisive draft law that would see the volunteer al-Hashd al-Shaabi militias as legalized national armed forces.

The passing of the long-debated law comes amid intense objections from mostly-Sunni groups within the parliament who boycotted the vote, and feared the law would enlarge the influence of the mostly-Shia militia and therefore stoke sectarian tensions.