Shafaq News- Baghdad
Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) reinstatedAli Jakhifa Lafta al-Shammari as commander of Samarra Operations, overturningan earlier decision to appoint Youssef Mizan Naseef Ragheef of Asaib Ahlal-Haq, a well-informed source told Shafaq News on Thursday.
Ragheef will remain commander of the 36th Brigade,while al-Shammari will oversee the disengagement and reorganization of brigadesaffiliated with Saraya al-Salam, the armed wing of the Patriotic ShiiteMovement (PSM/Sadrist) led by Muqtada al-Sadr.
Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, the source said, orderedthe move to preserve security stability and prevent tensions in the area.
Faleh al-Fayyadh, head of the PMF —a predominantlyShiite umbrella formation integrated into Iraq’s state security structure in2016— had previously appointed al-Shammari as an adviser to the GeneralDirectorate of Operations and tasked him with supervising the 313th, 314th, and315th brigades operating under Samarra Operations.
The earlier decision sparked tensions in Samarra, whichprompted Saraya al-Salam to deploy members at several locations across the city,maintaining that its presence would continue until security duties are fullytransferred to state forces, although its leader, Muqtada al-Sadr, laterinstructed members to comply with the PMF's decision.
Longstanding rivalry persisted between Saraya al-Salamand Asaib Ahl al-Haq, whose leader, Qais al-Khazali, broke away from al-Sadr'smovement and the Mahdi Army before founding the group. Their competition hasperiodically escalated into political disputes and armed clashes in severalsouthern provinces, including Basra and Maysan.
Last month, al-Sadr and al-Khazali agreed on a roadmapto disengage their armed factions and encourage members to join officialinstitutions as part of broader efforts to place weapons exclusively understate control, a key pillar of al-Zaidi's government program.
: Iraq to place armed factions' weapons under state control