The armed factions in Iraq have gone out of control and have carried out kidnappings, smuggling and extortion operations to finance their activities and maintain their influence, and have become a difficult number in the system of corruption that has plagued Iraq since the US invasion in 2003.

In a report published by the French newspaper MEDIAPART, Iraqi journalist Furat Al-Ani believes that the situation in Iraq has become worse after the growing influence of the pro-Iranian factions, which were forced to search for alternative funding sources after the United States tightened its sanctions against Tehran.

The writer quotes a source who requested anonymity that the United States, which imposes strict economic sanctions on Tehran and prevents it from exporting its oil to the world, is using Iranian fuel at Ain Al-Assad base in Anbar Province, west of Baghdad.

The source says that the shipments enter the base legally through a businessman, carrying Iranian fuel used by the US military.

Pictures and videos provided by the source to MediaBart reveal a large volume of smuggling operations that defy US sanctions imposed on Iran.

The author affirms that smuggling operations cannot take place without the intervention of factions affiliated with the Popular Mobilization Forces, which were formed in 2014 to liberate Iraqi cities from the grip of the Islamic State, as these factions formed a parallel system and took control of the country's land and sea crossings, and became supervising the smuggling operations in light of impunity. Full of accountability and the government's inability to impose its control.

Border crossings are the source of smuggling operations in light of complete impunity and the government's inability to impose control over them (Reuters)

Powerless state

Iraq lived a real nightmare in June 2014, when ISIS seized the city of Mosul, then expanded its spread to include several cities, but the real threat now - according to the author - is the Shiite factions that are constantly displaying their strength in various Iraqi cities.

The Iraqi Hezbollah Brigades is considered one of the most prominent Shiite factions in the country, and one of Iran's most powerful arms in Iraq, and it regularly launches missiles at the US embassy in Baghdad and at foreign military bases.

Among those groups, too, is a faction that recently formed and organized a military parade in Baghdad, uploading pictures of Iranian clerics and military figures, including General Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in an American raid on January 3, 2020.

Iran, after being strangled by the new economic sanctions imposed by former Iranian President Donald Trump, was forced to cut funding for its arms in Iraq, which made the factions search for alternative sources.

An Iraqi diplomat residing abroad says that these factions "operate like cartels, meaning that they do not fight among themselves. Rather, there is an understanding between their leaders to share areas of influence, and everyone gets their share of the cake."

The writer believes that in light of the corruption that gnaws at the joints of the Iraqi state, the scene has become darker with the emergence of these "cartels" that seek to obtain funds through all illegal methods.

The Iraqi diplomat explains that the factions have become more professional in making money by focusing on profitable sectors such as customs.

America is involved

The writer confirms that the situation in Iraq today has become a mixture of the corruption of businessmen and the political elite, and the corruption of armed factions.

According to him, Iraq today is far from the model promoted by the administration of US President George W. Bush, who promised Iraqis a system based on social justice, citizenship and democracy.

In fact, the regime in Iraq has turned into a system of corruption in which the United States is involved, not only because of the invasion that destroyed the Iraqi economy, but also because of the purchase of the smuggled oil that feeds this system.

The US Federal Reserve supplies Iraq with at least $ 10 billion annually from oil sales, but much of this money is embezzled to feed the system of corruption.

At the same time, the United States imposes economic sanctions on the two neighboring countries, Iran and Syria, but the borders of the two countries are controlled by the Shiite factions, which opens the way for smuggling and extortion operations that provide large amounts of money to the enemies of the United States.