Shiite militia leader angry at UAE foreign minister’s visit to Iraq

Shiite militia leader angry at UAE foreign minister’s visit to Iraq By RUDAW 17 hours ago Qais al-Khazaali, the leader of the powerful Asaib Ahl al-Ahaq militia group. BAGHDAD—The leader of one of Iraq’s Shiite militia groups criticized Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi today for meeting with the foreign minister of the United Arab Emirates, saying the UAE has listed his militia group as a terrorist organization. Qais al-Khazaali, the leader of the powerful Asaib Ahl al-Ahaq militia group said in a statement that Abadi was wrong to receive UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Wednesday when his government “has put Asaib Ahl al-Haq and a number of other Shiite groups on the terrorist list.” “Iraqi leaders welcoming the UAE foreign minister without taking a clear stance on this subject will put them under question for which they will have to answer,” read the statement. Asaib Ahl al-Haq is one Iraq’s militia groups, currently involved in the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS) in Baghdad, Diyala and Salahaddin and it is allegedly funded by the Iraqi government. The UAE government recently announced its terrorist list that includes Asaib Ahl al-Haq, the Badr Brigade and several other Iraqi Shiite militia groups. "We stand by brotherly Iraq as it is making efforts for reconstruction and achievement of peace and safety and in combating the forces of terrorism which poses a danger to all the countries of the region and defaces the values of our true religion, Islam," the UAE’s foreign ministry website quoted Al Nahyan as saying in Baghdad.