On Friday, the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, witnessed a significant security presence in several areas ahead of the planned display by the "Popular Mobilization Forces" set for Saturday. This event had been postponed multiple times due to disagreements among its leaders regarding the nature of the display and the weapons to be used.
Intensive preparations have been underway for days, involving the mobilization of thousands of members from the Popular Mobilization Forces and other armed factions for the military display, which was originally scheduled for June 10 but has been delayed several times.
According to an officer in the Iraqi Ministry of Interior, the "higher command has ordered the deployment of several units from the Interior Ministry, as well as additional forces from the army and local police in various areas of Baghdad and in the city of Baqubah, in preparation for emergencies ahead of the military display set to take place tomorrow in Diyala province." The officer, who requested anonymity, told "Sky News Arabia" that "the information suggests a military display for the Popular Mobilization Forces; however, there is concern among the leadership about any uncalculated movements or sudden displays being held in Baghdad, or unauthorized deployments, as has occurred previously. Therefore, orders were issued to prevent any uncoordinated deployment without coordination with operational command."
He indicated that "the deployment will continue for several days until the end of the current month, when a tripartite summit is expected to be held in Baghdad, attended by the Egyptian president and the Jordanian king." The military presence has been concentrated in several areas of Baghdad, particularly in Karrada, Mansour, and Jaderiya, involving various types of security forces, in addition to establishing several barriers and checkpoints to monitor suspicious movements or unauthorized activities. The governorate of Diyala has also seen deployments in some areas.
This follows an announcement by factions of the Popular Mobilization Forces on Thursday regarding the completion of all technical and logistical preparations for the military display coinciding with the seventh anniversary of the start of battles against ISIS.
The idea for the display originated as a response to remarks made by Iraqi Defense Minister Jumaa Anad at the end of last month, commenting on a display by armed factions that rejected the arrest of Popular Mobilization leader Qassem Musleh. He stated: "Some interpret the state's silence as fear; however, prioritizing the country's interests is paramount, as the situation becomes dangerous in the event of fighting between state armed forces and the Popular Mobilization Forces, which also belong to the state."
Anad rejected "using the opposite culture of arm-twisting," adding that "the country cannot bear more martyrs and wounded." The timing of the display was finalized after considerable back-and-forth and internal conflicts between the Popular Mobilization affiliated with the religious authority in Najaf, which is composed of several brigades, and other factions known as "Wilayat" loyal to Iran. Those affiliated with the religious authority refused to participate in this display over concerns regarding the presence of questionable factions, such as Hezbollah Brigades and the Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq militias, which are listed as terrorist organizations by the United States.
The disputes, according to Iraqi sources, revolved around which factions would participate and the types of weapons to be used, including whether drones or missiles would be involved, which caused concern among some faction leaders due to recent American reports on the dangers of drones in Iraq.
Large military vehicles have been seen in recent days transporting drones heading to Diyala province, indicating plans to include these drones in the display. Prominent among the drones photographed in Iraqi media is the "Shahed X," which recently entered Iraq and resembles the type used by the Houthis in Yemen, referred to as "Samad 1."
Other types have been reported, such as Iranian reconnaissance drones, copied from Chinese drones, capable of flying for up to 120 minutes, according to the Tactical Experts Cell (an unofficial group concerned with military monitoring). Preliminary information also indicates a decision to include tanks that have been developed in Iran in the display, which were acquired by some groups close to Tehran during the war against ISIS and have been retained.
Regarding the significance of the military display, Iraqi military affairs expert Mitha' al-Qaisi stated, "The display holds several implications at this time, especially since it comes after Ibrahim Raisi's victory in the Iranian elections, which has given the Iraqi armed factions a new boost and reignited their enthusiasm for holding this display, despite the obstacles and risks that leaders of these groups talk about, such as concerns over American targeting or revealing the nature of owned weapons."
Al-Qaisi noted in a statement to "Sky News Arabia" that "this display should not be interpreted as messages in several directions; rather, it could be seen as a natural procedure and military activity. However, it is essential for the Popular Mobilization to distance itself from irregular armed groups and militias and to purify this display from extraneous elements and factions that oppose the Iraqi state to convey positive messages to neighboring countries and to Iraq itself."
