Even clerics are joining Iraq's Popular Mobilization Units
The phenomenon of clerics joining Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Units to fight the Islamic State, while deemed beneficial by many, remains controversial.
After Mosul fell to the Islamic State (IS) on June 10, 2014, and the latter continued its advance toward Baghdad, Iraq’s Shiite Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani issued a statement June 13, calling on all Iraqis to join the front in support of the Iraqi armed forces.
As a result, volunteers were organized into military units that later became known as the Popular Mobilization Units, which included a number of religious seminary students and teachers from Najaf, who joined the fight wearing their religious garb.
