The US government imposed sanctions Friday on Iraqi militia leader Falih al-Fayyadh. Here's the statement from the US Treasury Dept:
Washington – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Iraqi Popular Mobilization Committee (PMC) Chairman and former National Security Advisor Falih al-Fayyadh for his connection to serious human rights abuse. During protests beginning in October 2019, Iran-aligned elements of the PMC attacked Iraqi civilians demonstrating against corruption, unemployment, economic stagnation, poor public services, and Iranian interference in Iraq’s domestic affairs. Al-Fayyadh was part of a crisis cell comprised primarily of Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) militia leaders formed in late 2019 to suppress the Iraqi protests with the support of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF). Today, Iran-aligned elements of the PMF continue to wage an assassination campaign against political activists in Iraq who are calling for free and fair elections, respect for human rights, and clean government.
“By directing and supervising the murder of peaceful Iraqi demonstrators, Iran-aligned militants and politicians such as Falih al-Fayyadh have been waging a violent campaign against Iraqi democracy and civil society,” said Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin. “The United States will continue to hold accountable human rights abusers in Iraq who aim to deny the Iraqi people in their efforts to peacefully protest, seek justice, and root out corruption in their country.”
This action is taken pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13818, which builds upon and implements the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act and targets perpetrators of serious human rights abuse and corruption.
FALIH AL-FAYYADH
Falih al-Fayyadh (al-Fayyadh) is the head of the PMC, a body created by Iraqi legislation to bring the PMF militias under central government control. Although the PMF was established to fight the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), many PMF militias are increasingly focused on advancing their own economic interests and supporting Iran’s regional agenda in Iraq, rather than protecting the Iraqi state or its citizens. Al-Fayyadh was the head of the PMC when many of its subcomponents fired live ammunition at peaceful protesters in late 2019, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of Iraqis. Al-Fayyadh was a member of the IRGC-QF-supported crisis cell with previously sanctioned militia leaders Qais al-Khazali and Hussein Falah al-Lami, as well as the now-deceased IRGC-QF commander Qasem Soleimani and PMC deputy leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. Until July 2020, Al-Fayyadh was also the Iraqi Prime Minister’s National Security Advisor.
Al-Fayyadh is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13818 for being a foreign person who is or has been a leader or official of an entity, including any government entity, that has engaged in, or whose members have engaged in, serious human rights abuse.
The IRGC-QF, designated pursuant to E.O. 13224 on October 25, 2007, is a branch of the IRGC responsible for external operations and has provided material support to numerous terrorist groups, making it a key component of Iran’s destabilizing regional activities. The IRGC-QF’s parent organization, the IRGC, was designated pursuant to E.O. 13224 on October 13, 2017, and on April 15, 2019 was designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the Secretary of State.
SANCTIONS IMPLICATIONS
As a result of today’s action, all property and interests in property of the person above that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. In addition, any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked. Unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC, or otherwise exempt, OFAC’s regulations generally prohibit all transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons. The prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any blocked person or the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person.
GLOBAL MAGNITSKY
Building upon the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, the President signed E.O. 13818 on December 20, 2017, in which the President found that the prevalence of human rights abuse and corruption that have their source, in whole or in substantial part, outside the United States, had reached such scope and gravity that it threatens the stability of international political and economic systems. Human rights abuse and corruption undermine the values that form an essential foundation of stable, secure, and functioning societies; have devastating impacts on individuals; weaken democratic institutions; degrade the rule of law; perpetuate violent conflicts; facilitate the activities of dangerous persons; and undermine economic markets.
The United States seeks to impose tangible and significant consequences on those who commit serious human rights abuse or engage in corruption, as well as to protect the financial system of the United States from abuse by these same persons.
View more information on the individual designated today.
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The charges are not new -- AFP reminds, "the US Treasury said Fayyadh was responsible for brutal attacks on protesters in October 2019." NEWSWEEK's Tom O'Connor notes, "Iraq's state-affiliated collective of militias defiantly celebrated its leader being hit by U.S. sanctions, considering it an honor to have him viewed as one of Washington's foes" and quotes a statement made by a militia spokesperson, "We congratulate the friend of the martyrs, Popular Mobilization Committee Chairman Falih al-Fayyadh, on his inclusion with the honorable ones whom the U.S. administration considers enemies." REUTERS adds al-Fayyadh "was also praised by the Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah." However, Ali Jiwad (ANADOLU AGENCY) observes, "The Iraqi Foreign Ministry on Saturday slammed a US decision to backlist Falih al-Fayyad, the leader of the powerful Hashd Shaabi militia, or the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF)." Is the Ministry slamming the US government for finally taking some form of action against those attacking the protesters? Goodness knows that the Iraqi government has done nothing to protect the protesters.
On the subject of protesters, Sura Ali (RUDAW) reports:
Two protesters in Iraq’s southern city of Nasiriyah were injured in
clashes with police forces who fired tear gas and bullets at crowds,
activists in the city told Rudaw on Friday.
The police crackdown in Habboubi Square, often the center of protests in
the city, comes the day after a large-scale arrest campaign against
activists on Thursday, the two activists told Rudaw. Among those
subjected to Thursday’s crackdown was activist Ihsan al-Hilali, who was
run over by a police car and arrested, both activists said.
"The demonstrators wanted to enter Habboubi Square in Nasiriyah and
protest peacefully on Friday afternoon, but the security forces
prevented them, which led to clashes,” said Wali Jabar, an activist in
Nasiriyah.
"Security forces confronted the protests with tear gas canisters and fire," Jabar said.
Collective Action for Iraq Tweets:
And Amsiiraq Tweets:
Remember that in Iraq, the real 'crime' is covering the protests. Hiwa Shilani (KURDISTAN 24) reports:
A media rights organization in Iraq announced late Friday evening that a reporter and a cameraman for the Zagros media outlet had been arrested in the southern city of Nasiriya while covering protests against the previous detention of a local activist.
The Press Freedom Advocacy Association in Iraq (PFAAI) quoted Falah al-Fadhli, news director of the Erbil-based television channel, as saying that correspondent Ali Saleh and his cameraman were arrested while covering protests that began in downtown Nasiriya's al-Habboubi Square which was followed by clampdowns by security forces.
In other news, Joe Biden has nothing new to deliver the Middle East, just more of the same. This is demonstrated by his naming Brett McGurk the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) coordinator for the National Security Council yesterday. McGurk is widely mistrusted across the region but especially in Iraq. He has damaged the region under Bully Boy Bush, under President Barack Obama and under President Donald Trump. Now he hopes to do more damage under incoming president and current incompetent Joe Biden. "Change you'll never see" -- that should have been Joe's slogan.
We'll wind down with this from Caitlin Johnstone (ICH):
Stop trivializing the term "coup". It's a real thing the US government really inflicts on other countries in a way that actually does topple governments and cause immense destruction. You cannot take over the US government with a small squadron of wingnuts. That's not a thing.
A coup attempt doesn't have to be successful for that term to be legitimate, but it does have to have some possibility of success. Trump has no more likelihood of being in office after January 20th than I do; he's got nothing resembling the kind of support from the military, political establishment, oligarchs and other backing he'd need to accomplish such a thing.
I hereby declare the US election invalid and I, Caitlin Johnstone, am the new President of the United States.
Have I just instituted a "coup"? Or does my complete inability to put such a claim into effect make the use of that term silly?
And now Trump has conceded. My what a funny looking coup.
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