Harakat al-Nujaba leader's Russia visit raises concerns in Iraq

Harakat al-Nujaba leader Akram al-Kaabi's recent visit to Moscow has raised concerns in Iraq that Russia is seeking to expand its influence in the Middle Eastern country via unofficial channels -- specifically Iran-backed militias.

The Iran-backed Iraqi militia is subordinate to and partly financed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force (IRGC-QF), according to the Washington Institute for Near East Policy (WINEP).

Iran provides it with financial assistance, military assistance and intelligence sharing, as well as help in selecting, supporting and supervising its leadership, WINEP said, with Harakat al-Nujaba units in Syria under direct IRGC-QF control.

While nominally under the control of the Iraqi state, Harakat al-Nujaba is a rogue actor, and its units "frequently disobey the Iraqi government chain of command", the think-tank said.

Al-Kaabi's November 26 visit with Russian government officials raised concerns in Iraq that Russia is seeking to use the Iran-backed militia as an unofficial channel through which to extend its influence in Iraq.

In Moscow, the Iraqi militia leader met with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov, who also serves as special presidential representative to the Middle East and Africa.

He also conferred with Vitaly Naumkin, advisor to Russian President Vladimir Putin and director of the Institute of Oriental Studies in Russia, as well as Grand Mufti Albert Karganov, president of the Religious Association of Russian Muslims.

According to statements issued by Harakat al-Nujaba, Russian officials lauded the militia and called for "strengthening relations with Iraq at all levels".

The statements also quoted al-Kaabi expressing his "willingness to work toward the establishment of the best relationship with Russia".

Russian media reported on the visit, while Iran-funded satellite TV channels described the Iraqi militia's relationship with Russia as "strategic".

Meanwhile, the visit outraged the Iraqi public, with some expressing concern that the meeting may set the scene for Iran-aligned militias to fight alongside the Russian army in Ukraine.

They noted that there is precedent for this sort of foreign intervention, as under al-Kaabi's leadership, Harakat al-Nujaba intervened in the Syrian conflict in support of the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad.

Concerns over al-Kaabi visit

By expanding relations with militias such as Harakat al-Nujaba, which are accused of war crimes and designated as terrorist groups, Russia is encroaching on Iraq's sovereignty, observers said.

The visit demonstrates Russia's willingness to engage informally with Iraq through non-state actors, the Iraq-based Armor Centre for Strategic Research (ACSR) said in a November 27 report posted on Twitter.

Efforts to consolidate Russian-Iraqi relations ought to be taken up with Iraq's Foreign Ministry, not with the leader of an armed group, it said.

Russia's efforts to establish stronger ties with Iran-backed Iraqi militias put it on the list of countries that interfere in Iraqi internal affairs, ACSR said, calling for Iraq to redouble its efforts to preserve its sovereignty.

Russia is seeking the help of Iran's proxies to expand its influence and presence in Iraq, political analyst Omar Abdel Sattar told Al-Mashareq.

Al-Kaabi's visit to Moscow comes as Russia is seeking to promote its regional interests and strengthen its relations with its allies, particularly Iran, he said.

In a post on Twitter, journalist Mustafa Salem pointed to "the growing influence of militia opportunists in the Kremlin", adding that this willingness to engage with non-state actors underscores Russia's "bankruptcy and decline".

Moscow and Harakat al-Nujaba are partners in killing civilians in Syria, he wrote.

Also on Twitter, political analyst Shaho al-Qaradaghi noted that al-Kaabi's visit to Russia and his remarks about establishing better relations with Moscow aim "to strengthen the Russian presence, as well as the Chinese presence, in Iraq".

Militia's fealty to Iran

Harakat al-Nujaba, founded in 2013, is one of the Iraqi militias that are most loyal to Iran. In several television interviews over the years, al-Kaabi has openly expressed his loyalty to the Iranian regime.

He has publicly claimed he would respond to any order issued by Iranian leader Ali Khamenei, including overthrowing the Iraqi government or fighting alongside the Houthis in Yemen, if Khamenei declared it to be a religious duty.

In March 2019, the United States listed Harakat al-Nujaba and al-Kaabi as Specially Designated Global Terrorists, after previously listing al-Kaabi in 2008, before he founded the militia.

Al-Kaabi led the militia in the Syrian war, and Harakat al-Nujaba and several other Iran-backed militias are still deployed in Syria, particularly in the border town of Albu Kamal, Deir Ezzor province; in al-Mayadeen; and around al-Raqa.

Residents of these areas accuse the militia of trespassing on their property, imposing tributes, and arresting and repressing them on sectarian grounds.