Popular Movement in Iraq

SpokespersonSheikh Mohammed Taha al-HamdounFounded2011Military wingIslamic Army in Iraq^[1]IdeologySunni interests
Iraqi nationalism
FederalismSeats in the Council of Representatives: Seats in the Governorate Councils:

The Popular Movement in Iraq (Arabic: الحراك الشعبي في العراق) or the Sunni Popular Movement, or just Popular Movement, or Hirak is a Sunni political movement in Iraq. The spokesperson for the movement is Sheikh Mohammed Taha al-Hamdoun.^[2]

Founding

The movement was founded in Samarra at the end of 2011 by the Islamic Army in Iraq, which demobilized following the US withdrawal from Iraq.^[3] The IAI had been largely weakened by individuals leaving the group and instead joining the various Sahwa militias.^[3] The groups turn away from armed opposition towards activism was criticised by other militant groups, such as Jaysh al-Mujihadeen.^[3]

Activity

The movement was involved in the 2012–14 Iraqi protests, particularly in Fallujah, which was also the focus of groups such as al-Qaeda and the Ba'athist Free Iraq Intifada.^[1]

The movement is opposed to the government of Nouri al-Maliki, and fighters aligned with the movement have been active in the 2014 Northern Iraq offensive.^[2] The movement accuses the government of Nouri al-Maliki of oppressing Sunni's and aims to topple Maliki's government and replace it with a unity government.^[4] The movement has also called for a decentralized Iraq with autonomous Sunni regions.^[4] The group has also called for Sunni lawmakers to boycott a 1 July 2014 parliamentary meeting to elect a new President and Government of Iraq.^[4]

The movement is opposed to ISIS and claims that whilst ISIS has international ambitions, the Popular Movement desires only to defend the rights of Sunni's in Iraq.^[4] Hamdoun, the movement's spokesperson, has instead claimed that ISIS only constitutes 3,000 foreign fighters, or 10% of the total number of fighters opposing the Iraqi government, and is incapable of controlling Northern Iraq by itself.^[4] Hamdoun has also claimed that they will fight ISIS after the fall of the Maliki government.^[2]

References