Iraqi former prime minister and vice president Allawi said on Sunday, April 14, that the duty of the Hashd al-Shaabi had ended with the victory over Islamic State (IS) militants and the restoration of control over the country's urban areas.

“Iraq will become a civilian state with the disbanding of Hashid al-Shaabi,” he added.

Allawi said the Iraqi Army should be strengthened in order to protect the security of the country and suggested that the paramilitary fighters could join the army, federal police, or police.

The Hashd al-Shaabi was established in 2014 to fight IS militants who had overrun large swathes of the country. The group was formally incorporated into the Iraqi military in 2017.

Fighters of the group have been accused of abuses against non-Shia residents of areas liberated from IS militants. The Hashd al-Shaabi denies those allegations.

Reporter’s code: 50101