Hashd al-Shaabi is a frequently heard name along with the start of the Mosul Operation. Yet its roots date further back in time. The Hashd al-Shaabi, which can be translated as “Popular Mobilization Forces,” is an umbrella organization under which at least 40 militia groups are gathered. While the history of part of these militia groups go all the way back to before the ousting of Saddam Hussein, a significant number of them were founded during the period of the U.S.'s invasion of Iraq. For example, as it is possible to say that the Mahdi Army, known to be one of the most recognized and strongest militia forces in Iraq, led by Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sadr, dates back to 2003, the foundation of one other strong and well-known militia group, the Badr Brigades, dates back to 1982, the Iran-Iraq War. This group, consisting of Shiite Iraqis, who have fallen captive to Iran, or fugitives seeking refuge in Iran, were trained by Iran and have been fighting alongside Iranian soldiers. Ever since then, they are directly armed by Iran and take their orders from Iran. The Badr Brigades leader Hadi al-Amiri is a member of the Iraqi parliament, and he even took office as transportation minister between 2010 and 2014. It is known that he is currently the commander in chief in Hashd al-Shaabi's command echelon. Yet, he also refers to Iran's Quds Force leader Qasem Soleimani as, “My brother, my commander, my leader.”