Iraq's Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) are intervening in the violence-plagued southern province of Basra, where demonstrators have been staging mass protests over a lack of public services, the poor economy and alleged corruption among public officials.
Protesters on Sept. 7 stormed the PMU office in Basra and set fire to many government buildings, including the Iranian Consulate. The next day, the PMU leadership issued a statement that read, “The deteriorating security situation in Basra calls for the need to protect its people, and the PMU will deal with [the saboteurs] just like it dealt with Islamic State [IS] militants during [previous] battles.” It added, “Ending the security unrest and protecting the lives of citizens is a national and legitimate duty.”