Iraq PM censures UAE minister’s insults to volunteer troops
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has denounced new insulting comments by the Emirati foreign minister about volunteer Popular Mobilization units, saying the assertion is an act of inference in Iraq’s domestic affairs.
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Abadi once again defended the anti-terror operations of the popular units and said they have fought alongside the army against Daesh Takfiri militants, Iraq’s al-Sumaria news channel reported on Friday.
Earlier in the day, Emirati Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan compared Iraqi volunteer forces to the Daesh and al-Nusra Front terror groups and said the popular troops must be eliminated like the Takfiri militants.
Abadi further expressed shock over the top Emirati diplomat’s comparison, emphasizing that the popular troops are affiliated with his office and the Armed Forces’ Chief of Staff.
The volunteer forces have liberated several Daesh-held areas and are helping counter the threat of terrorism, said the Iraqi premier, calling on Persian Gulf states to support Baghdad in its anti-terror battle instead of adopting such stances.
Meanwhile, Iraq’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmad Jamal released a statement, saying the UAE stance is an apparent meddling in his country’s internal affairs and a clear insult to security and military organizations.
Senior lawmaker Ahlam al-Husseini also slammed bin Zayed’s comments as a blatant violation of international laws, saying such remarks are indicative of Abu Dhabi’s backing for terrorism and Daesh.
A number of Iraqi lawmakers are reportedly planning to call on Baghdad to expel the Emirati ambassador.
The UAE is among the countries participating in a US-led coalition that has allegedly been targeting Daesh in Syria since September 2014. The alliance has so far failed to uproot the militants.
Zayed’s insults echoed those by Saudi Ambassador to Baghdad Thamer al-Sabhan, who claimed last month that the volunteer fighters were not popular among Iraqi people and accused them of sectarianism.
Baghdad summoned Sabhan and denounced his remarks as “a break of diplomatic protocol and based on inaccurate information.”
In response, Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari defended the volunteer forces, saying they are legitimate forces who have made many sacrifices for the Arab state.
The Popular Mobilization units’ spokesman, Ahmed al-Assadi, also said the Saudi envoy must be expelled from the country as he has “exceeded all the limits.” The military official accused the Riyadh regime of being a supporter of terrorism.
The Popular Mobilization Units, which were formed after the rise of Daesh in Iraq in 2014, have joined forces with the army to win back militant-held regions.
In the early days of Daesh emergence in Iraq, the volunteer fighters played an important role in strengthening the army, which had initially suffered heavy losses amid quick advances of the Takfiri terrorists.
