{"page":"\u003clink rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https://lessonplanet.com/assets/packs/css/resources-c03aa079.css\" /\u003e\n\u003clink rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https://lessonplanet.com/assets/packs/css/lp_boclips_stylesheets-517835be.css\" media=\"all\" /\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-title='What now for the Shiite militias?' data-url='/boclips/videos/5c54d581d8eafeecae1fbedb' data-video-url='/boclips/videos/5c54d581d8eafeecae1fbedb' id='bo_player_modal'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='boclips-resource-page modal-dialog panel-container'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='react-notifications-root'\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-header'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-type'\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fai fa-regular fa-circle-play'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\nVideo\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch1 class='rp-title' id='video-title'\u003e\nWhat now for the Shiite militias?\n\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-actions'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='mr-1'\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"btn btn-success\" data-posthog-event=\"Signup: LP Signup Activity\" data-posthog-location=\"body_link_boclips\" data-remote=\"true\" href=\"/subscription/new\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGet Free Access\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e for 10 Days\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e!\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-body'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-info'\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-label='Hide resource details' class='rp-hide-info' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u0026times;\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ci aria-label='Expand resource details' class='rp-expand-info fai fa-solid fa-up-right-and-down-left-from-center' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003ci aria-label='Compress resource details' class='rp-compress-info fai fa-solid fa-down-left-and-up-right-to-center' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-rating'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='resource-pool'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='pool-label'\u003ePublisher:\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan class='pool-name'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='text'\u003e\u003ca data-publisher-id=\"30356011\" href=\"/search?publisher_ids%5B%5D=30356011\"\u003eCurated Video\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-description'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='short-description'\u003eLEADIN:              In the wake of victory against the Islamic State group in Mosul, Iraq's political, religious and military leaders are debating the future of the country's powerful Shiite militias - the tens of thousands of men who...\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan class='full-description hide'\u003eLEADIN:\u003cbr/\u003e              In the wake of victory against the Islamic State group in Mosul, Iraq's political, religious and military leaders are debating the future of the country's powerful Shiite militias - the tens of thousands of men who answered a religious call to arms three years ago and played a critical role in beating back the extremists. \u003cbr/\u003e              Members of the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) are still conducting training sessions in the southern province of Najaf.\u003cbr/\u003e              STORYLINE:\u003cbr/\u003e              On a terrifically hot day - almost 50 degrees - members of the PMF (Popular Mobilisation Forces) follow behind an armoured personnel carrier during a training session in Najaf.\u003cbr/\u003e              But what does the future hold for these men who stepped into a vacuum when the Iraqi army largely dissolved after IS overran Mosul and pushed within 80 miles (130 kilometres) of the Iraqi capital?\u003cbr/\u003e              Some of Iraq's leaders are demanding the Iranian-backed forces be disbanded but the militias say their sacrifices on the battlefield and the fact they were sanctioned by Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi have earned them a permanent place in the hierarchy of Iraq's security forces. \u003cbr/\u003e              Abu Baqer Ibrahim, a PMF trainer, believes that the men will be the security forces for districts and provinces as extremists change their tactics and leave the nation braced for some internal turmoil.\u003cbr/\u003e              \"This needs more planning and new tactics different from the fight against Daesh. The dangers that we are facing now are internal as internal turmoil could happen. The enemies of Iraq might change their strategies against Iraq so as the PMF we have to change our strategy according to threats that we will be facing.\"\u003cbr/\u003e              Tens of thousands of men, many of them members of the long-established Shiite militias with close ties to Iran, answered the 2014 call from the country's top Shiite cleric, Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani. In the days that followed, Iraq was flooded with training, money and weapons from Tehran. \u003cbr/\u003e              Billboards praising the groups - depicting Iraqi and Iranian paramilitary leaders side-by-side - popped up across Baghdad alongside posters honouring the fallen. The government-sanctioned groups are now called the Popular Mobilisation Forces, known as Hashed al-Shaabi in Arabic.\u003cbr/\u003e              Although the Shiite militias did not play a central role in the battle for the city of Mosul itself, they moved into the deserts held by IS west of the city, massing around the town of Tal Afar and taking a border crossing between Iraq and Syria. They also took control of highways bisecting the Sunni heartland in western Iraq and used as vital military and civilian supply lines. \u003cbr/\u003e              Iraq's prime minister decision and parliament decree have legalised the PMF and the militia leadership claims their sacrifices have earned them a permanent seat at the table. \u003cbr/\u003e              \"We are part of the state and part of the forces of the state, a force that is related to the leadership of the prime minister,\" says Ibrahim.\u003cbr/\u003e              According to the 2017 Iraqi budget, the government-sanctioned Popular Mobilisation Forces now number about 122,000 fighters. The umbrella is dominated by Shiite militias but also includes Sunni and Christian groups.\u003cbr/\u003e              PMF fighter Ahmad Ghanem, says the outfit is waiting for instructions.\u003cbr/\u003e              On the outskirts of Najaf, graves of militiamen who died battling IS have swelled among the plots in Wadi al-Salam, the well-known Shiite graveyard that is also the world's largest. Garlands of plastic flowers adorn headstones bearing the crests of the most powerful militia groups: the Badr Brigades, Saraya Salam and Kataib Hezbollah.\u003cbr/\u003e            \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e              Najaf, Iraq - 18 July 2017\u003cbr/\u003e              1. Members of PMF (Popular Mobilisation Forces) behind APC (Armoured personnel carrier) during training\u003cbr/\u003e              2. Various of PMF fighters during training\u003cbr/\u003e              3. Abu Baqer Ibrahim, PMF trainer, addressing the trainees\u003cbr/\u003e              4. Member of PMF holding RPG (Rocket-propelled grenade)\u003cbr/\u003e              5. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Abu Baqer Ibrahim, PMF trainer:\u003cbr/\u003e              \"God willing, we are continuing under the umbrella of the (Iraqi) State, after Daesh (Islamic State group) the planning and the organisation of the PMF will be different, we will be more organised as we are considered combat forces against our enemies. If Daesh is over then we will be security forces that secure the areas and the provinces. This needs more planning and new tactics different from the fight against Daesh. The dangers that we are facing now are internal as internal turmoil could happen. The enemies of Iraq might change their strategies against Iraq so as the PMF we have to change our strategy according to threats that we will be facing.\"\u003cbr/\u003e              6. Abu Baqer Ibrahim addressing the trainees ++MUTE++\u003cbr/\u003e              7. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Abu Baqer Ibrahim, PMF trainer: \u003cbr/\u003e              \"This issue (taking part in Syria's war) is related to the prime minister's decision, we are part of the state and part of the forces of the state, a force that is related to the leadership of the prime minister. For any decision taken by the prime minister in coordination with the allied countries to help neighbouring countries, we are ready and at their service, but without orders from the prime minister and without any coordination we will not cross the border by one metre.\"\u003cbr/\u003e              8. Various of PMF members during training\u003cbr/\u003e              9. Various of PMF members raiding a tent\u003cbr/\u003e              10. PMF members going through procedure of arresting a man during the training\u003cbr/\u003e              11. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Ahmad Ghanem, PMF fighter:\u003cbr/\u003e              \"We are waiting for the instructions of the PMF committee and the general leader of the armed forces. Our training is continuing, we liberated lots of areas in Mosul and now we are in some sectors at the Syrian-Iraqi border in Mosul and we are waiting for instructions. As you know ,we are related to a governmental institute and ready to move wherever they will order us. We are at the service of our religious leadership, our people and our country.\"\u003cbr/\u003e              12. Wide of training session\u003cbr/\u003e              13. Mid of trainer reassembling AK47\u003cbr/\u003e              14. Trainees watching\u003cbr/\u003e              15. Close of AK47\u003cbr/\u003e              16. Various of training\u003cbr/\u003e              17. Various of PMF members watching\u003cbr/\u003e              18. Tilt down of Imam Ali shrine\u003cbr/\u003e              19. Worshippers inside the shrine\u003cbr/\u003e              20. Various of coffins being carried inside\u003cbr/\u003e              21. Pan of posters of martyrs at Najaf cemetery\u003cbr/\u003e              22. Wide of cemetery\u003cbr/\u003e              23. 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