Liwa al-Tafuf (Arabic: لواء الطفوف, lit. 'Al-Tafuf Brigade') also known as the 13th PMF Brigade is a brigade of the Popular Mobilization Forces in Iraq which split from Liwa Ali al-Akbar in 2014 and was associated with the Imam Husayn Shrine and has participated in the War in Iraq, mostly against the Islamic State, which includes the recapturing of al-Ba'aj and the Battle of Al-Qa'im in 2017.[1]
| Liwa al-Tafuf | |
|---|---|
| لواء الطفوف | |
 | |
| Founding leader | Qasim Muslih |
| Dates of operation | 2014-Present |
| Split from | Liwa Ali al-Akbar |
| Country |  Iraq |
| Allegiance |  Popular Mobilization Forces |
| Ideology | |
| Status | active |
| Allies | |
| Opponents | |
History
editThe group was established in 2014 after splitting from the 11th PMF Brigade, Liwa Ali al-Akbar under the guise of Qasim Muslih as the leader of the brigade and tried to remain "legitimate" as a "true" atabat (shrine) but the group fell into the administrative influence of Kata'ib Hezbollah's founder, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. The group became well-known for taking old armored vehicles from old tanks graveyards and returning them, with ingenious new modifications, to service.[2]
The group has allied with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps and answers to the group with Kata'ib Hezbollah.[3] Though the group is considered pro-Iranian, it doesn't view itself as full allies with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps and has built a better relationship with the local Sunni Muslim populations in Iraq than most of the other PMF Brigades and pro-Iranian militias.[4][5]
The group has helped smuggled Iranian goods and commerce with Kata'ib Hezbollah, where both basically control it, in the al-Qaim–al-Bukamal border crossing to Syria which was supposedly used to help others battle the Islamic State in Syria during the Syrian civil war.[6] Though some of the goods are supplies to groups, Liwa al-Tafuf and other groups help enable the cross-border drug trade with Iraq and Syria.[7]
References
edit- ^ Al-Tamimi, Aymenn Jawad (2019-02-15). "Liwa al-Tafuf of the Hashd: Interview". Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi. Archived from the original on 2024-07-30. Retrieved 2024-07-30.
- ^ Knights, Michael (2024-02-03). "Profile: Liwa al-Tafuf (13th PMF Brigade)". The Washington Institute. Archived from the original on 2024-05-14. Retrieved 2024-07-30.
- ^ Carter, Brian; Soltani, Amin; Moore, Johanna; Tyson, Kathryn (2024-02-03). "Iran Update, February 3, 2024" (PDF). Institute for the Study of War. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2024-07-30. Retrieved 2024-07-30.
- ^ Hasan, Harith; Khaddour, Kheder (2020). The Islamic State on the Rocks, Iranian-Backed Militias on the Rise (Report). Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. pp. 12–15. Archived from the original on 2024-07-30. Retrieved 2024-07-30.
- ^ Kerr, Malcolm H. "The Transformation of the Iraqi-Syrian Border: From a National to a Regional Frontier". XCEPT. Retrieved 2024-07-30.
- ^ Malmvig, Helle; Dreyer, Jakob (2020). Immanent Conflict, Without Imminent War: LOCAL ACTORS AND FOREIGN POWERS ARE SCRABBLING FOR INFLUENCE IN IRAQ AND SYRIA (Report). Danish Institute for International Studies. Archived from the original on 2024-07-30. Retrieved 2024-07-30.
- ^ Haid, Haid (2022-05-25). "To stem Iraq's drug trade, rein in the militias that enable it". Al-Arab. Retrieved 2024-07-30.