The term militia in contemporary Iraq refers to armed groups that fight on behalf of or as part of the Iraqi government, the Mahdi Army and Badr Organization being two of the biggest. Many predate the overthrow of Saddam Hussein, but some have emerged since, such as the Facilities Protection Service. The U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003 undermined the internal order in the country and brought about, among other things, the establishment of several pro-Iranian militias affiliated with the IRGC's Quds Force. The militias were set up with the purpose of driving the U.S. forces out of Iraq and establishing Iranian involvement in the country. Prominent among the militias are Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq, Kata'ib Hezbollah and Harakat al-Nujaba.
Since the 2014 collapse of the Iraqi army in the North of Iraq against the Al-Qaeda, Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, and the fatwa by the Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani calling for jihad or hashad shaabi ("popular mobilization") against ISIL, militias have become even more prominent in Iraq.
Sustenance
According to Eric Davis, professor of Middle East politics at Rutgers University, "They get some salary, they get a rifle, they get a uniform, they get the idea of belonging, protection from a group." However, he also notes that "People in [Mahdi Army] only get sporadic incomes. It's also very dangerous. You might be fighting another militia, such as the Badr organization, or worse the American army or the Iraqi army." It is stated that Iran is backing the militias.
The militias have also received American weapons, which were handed over to them from the Iraqi government.
List of militias
Al-Qaeda
Islamic State
Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq عصائب الحق
Saraya al-Khorasani سرايا طليعة الخراساني
Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada كتائب سيد الشهداء
Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba حركة حزب الله النجباء
Liwa'a Ammar Bin Yaser لواء عمار بن ياسر
Kata'ib Hezbollah كتائب حزب الله
Peace Companies سرايا السلام
Failaq al Wa'ad Al Sadiq فيلق الوعد الصادق
Badr Organization (Military wing) منظمة بدر - الجناح العسكري
Liwa Assad Allah al-Ghalib fi al-Iraq wa al-Sham لواء اسد الله الغالب
Promised Day Brigade لواء اليوم الموعود
Saraya Al Zahra'a سرايا الزهراء
Saraya Awliya al-Dam
Liwa'a Thulfiqar لواء ذو الفقار
Liwa'a Kafeel Zaynab لواء كفيل زينب
Saraya Ansarul Aqeedah سرايا انصار العقيدة (ar) Liwa'a Al Muntadhar لواء المنظر Badr Al Majamee' Al Khass'ah بدر المجاميع الخاصة Liwa Abu al-Fadhal al-Abbas لواء ابو الفضل العباس Saraya al-Jihad سرايا الجهاد Saraya Al Difaa' Al Sha'bi سرايا الدفاع الشعبي Kata'eb Dir' Al Shia كتائب درع الشيعة Hizbullah Al Tha'iroon حزب الله الثائرون Kata'eb Al Tayar Al Risali كتائب التيار الرسالي (ar) Saraya Ashuraa' سرايا عاشوراء Kata'eb Malik Al Ashtar كتائب مالك الاشتر Harakat Al Abdal حركة الأبدال Kata'ib al-Imam Ali كتائب الامام علي Mukhtar Army جيش المختار Mahdi Army جيش المهدي Babylon Brigade Qabdat Al-Hoda Usbet al-Thaireen Ashab al-Kahf Saraya Thawrat al-Eshreen al-Thaniya Hezbollah al-Abrar Kata'ib al-Ghadab Qassem Al-Jabarin Brigades Liwa Tahr al-Muhandis Liwa Khaybar Sabiqun Battalion Abu al-Fadhil al-Abbas Brigade
Iraqi government
Nouri al-Maliki asked political parties to dismantle their militias on 5 October 2006. He also stressed that militias are "part of the government", that there is a "political solution", and finally that they should "dissolve themselves" because "force would not work." He blamed the sectarian violence on "al Qaeda in Iraq". He has also condemned "Saddam Hussein loyalists". Lindsey Graham has said, "You are not going to have a political solution [in Iraq] with this much violence." This has led to growing concerns about al-Maliki's unwillingness to eliminate Shia militias. The Mahdi Army, a group linked to Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, is held responsible for "execution-style killings" of 11 Iraqi troops in August 2006. Some U.S. officials posit that the militias are a more serious threat to Iraq's stability than the Sunni insurgency. Additionally, U.S.-led coalition troops have been "told hands off Sadr City because Maliki is dependent upon Sadr, the Mahdi Army." However, in late January, Maliki reversed his decision .
SCIRI refused to acknowledge own militia, the Badr Organization.
Views
Support
Due to the collapse of some segments of the Iraqi Army under the Islamic State offensive, the activity of the militias fighting the group is largely supported by the Shia majority in the country, and many among the Sunni minority.