Qatar funds Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces: Paper

Cairo - 30 May 2017: Qatar is funding the Iraqi organization known as “Popular Mobilization Forces” (PMF), reported “Oqaz” the Saudi newspaper on Monday, adding that Qatar is funding the militias with $500 million.

On April 3, Doha sent its ambassador to Bagdad in an attempt to release 24 Qatari hostages, kidnapped by PMF.

This money came under negotiations between Iraq and Qatar for the release of kidnapped Qataris, when the prime minister of Qatar met his Iraqi counterpart, Hedar al-Bogdady, in Bagdad, asking for donations from Qatar to release the prisoners.

Three days later, a Qatari airplane arrived at Iraq, with 23 bags, containing $500 million.

PMF are state supported armed militias that combat Islamic State (IS) terrorist group in Iraq in 2014. The Popular Mobilization is comprised of Shitte and Sunni Muslims, Christian and Yazdi groups. Majority of PMF are made up of 30 thousand Sunni fighters, 24 thousand from Badr organization, 8 thousand from Iraqi Hezbollah Brigades, including several others.