Iraq’s Shiite groups call US troop withdrawal a victory — The Hindu

In Iraq, Iran-backed Shiite armed groups called the withdrawal of US troops on September 30 a historic victory. This was reported in an article by The Hindu.

The publication notes that these organizations opposed the US occupation of Iraq and repeatedly clashed with US forces.

Fatwa amid the IS advance

On June 13, 2014, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, Iraq’s highest Shiite spiritual authority, called on citizens to join the fight against terrorism. His appeal came amid the rapid advance of the Islamic State group in the country.

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On June 10, Islamic State militants captured Mosul, Iraq’s second-largest city. After consolidating their positions in the north, they began advancing toward Baghdad and threatened Shiite shrines in Najaf and Karbala. Iraqi military forces in the north of the country collapsed during the group’s offensive.

Fight against the Islamic State

Al-Sistani’s fatwa defined the defense of the country as a collective duty. Citizens able to bear arms were urged to volunteer for the army and security forces to fight terrorists.

According to The Hindu, factions of the Popular Mobilization Forces fought alongside the Iraqi army with US air support and played an important role in the defeat of the Islamic State. The publication also links the current perception of the withdrawal of US troops to the war Washington is waging against Iran.