Hashd al-Shaabi evacuates 450 families from Western Mosul

Mosul (IraqiNews.com) Pro-government militias of Al-Hashd Al-Shaabi troops evacuated on Sunday 450 families from the town of Adaya, western Mosul.

The troops, in collaboration with their security forces, were able evacuate the families and transfer them to safe places.

According to the Iraqi government, 433.000 persons were displaced since operations against Islamic State were launched in October to retake Mosul.

More than 200.000 people were displaced from the western part of the city since operations started in February to retake that region, the Ministry of Migration and Displacement said Sunday.

At least 400.000 civilians are expected by the United Nations to be displaced due to operations in Mosul. In October, upon the launch of Mosul battles in October, UN said that a total of 1.5 million could leave homes.

Consisting of 66 militia groups, al-Hashd al-Shaabi, also known as Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) is considered one of the largest militias in Iraq. It was established in 2014 by a fatwa (religious edict) to fight the Islamic State.

In late 2016, the Iraqi parliament recognized the militia as a national armed force.

However, Kurdish MP Arafat Karam told Bas News on Saturday that the US administration urged Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi to dissolve the Shi’ite militia.