A Levant without militias? Syria disarmed SDF, Lebanon collects Hezbollah weapons, Iraq struggles with Hashd.
Browsing: Militias
Iraq’s militias evolved from ideological proxies to market-driven actors: guns for hire became checkbooks.
Iraq is being pulled into the war; rockets have landed across the country, and the government does not fully control the factions.
Iraq’s foreign policy is shaped by internal rivalries and militia influence, not strategy; pro-U.S. factions gain as Iran weakens.
Two Iran-aligned Iraqi factions are openly recruiting for war, alarming the Iraqi government; the factions “listen to no one.”
Iraq’s 2025 elections saw reported 56% turnout, but real participation among adults was just 38.5%—matching previous lows.
Hamas has threatened to eliminate Israeli-backed militias in Gaza, which operate under Israeli protection and are widely rejected by the public.
Lebanon’s disarmament push reverberates in Iraq, deepening the divide between sovereignty advocates and those who see selective enforcement.
The Assad regime collapsed because it was brittle—a hollowed-out state propped up by dwindling foreign support and criminal networks.
Iraq’s Iran-backed militias stayed silent during the Israel-Iran war, prioritizing domestic gains and state integration.