Hashd al-Shaabi chief says 110 of group's headquarters bombed, 100 killed

MOSUL, Iraq — Falih al-Fayyadh, head of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF, or Hashd al-Shaabi), said 110 of the group's headquarters were bombed in past operations and 100 of its members were killed in those attacks. Speaking in Mosul, al-Fayyadh did not specify the timeframe or parties responsible for the strikes. Al-Fayyadh said Mosul has largely healed from the wounds of the Islamic State (ISIS) conflict and described the city as holding major historical heritage and a strategic geographic position. He expressed hope that Mosul would again play a defining role in Iraq's future over the next five years, and suggested the city may now be safer than Baghdad or Basra. Turning to Sinjar district, al-Fayyadh said the file on the area is targeted for completion within three months, a step he said would lift the region out of conflict and accelerate the return of displaced residents. He added that mechanisms for closing displacement camps are in place, but claimed some parties are obstructing the process for their own interests. Al-Fayyadh said the PMF draws support from across Iraq's communities and has helped mobilize residents in liberated cities by crossing sectarian divisions. He noted that most PMF members killed over the past three years came from Mosul, Salahaddin and Anbar. He also said Iraq's political system is built on democracy and peaceful transfer of power, adding that the logic of war has failed in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran.