Shiite factions under the Popular Mobilization Forces have penetrated Iraq’s economic sphere, sparking genuine concern among major traders about losing their livelihoods to competitors backed by the power of arms.

Since early July 2025, Iraq’s Kurdistan region has faced unprecedented drone and rocket attacks on airports and oil fields amid growing tensions with Baghdad over halted public-sector salaries.

In Gaza, where Israeli bombardment and aggression persist, and the unrelenting Palestinian spirit rises from the rubble, resistance factions continue to grow, just as tree roots deepen in soil soaked with blood for decades.

On the 9th anniversary of establishing the PMF in Iraq, the central military parade, regularly held by previous governments since 2016, was absent.