The Iraqi government and the armed factions have reached a settlement over the arrest of a senior leader in the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), which stipulates his release in exchange for halting the escalation, senior sources told Asharq Al-Awsat.
Sources close to the PMF said that the judiciary “released [Qassem] Musleh for lack of evidence,” but a government official told Asharq Al-Awsat that the decision has not been taken yet, without denying the imminent release of the leader.
While the PMF sources confirmed their willingness to receive the released leader in the city of Karbala, other information spoke of a quarrel between senior government leaders and parties within the PMF that “postponed” the release of Musleh.
Until late Tuesday, neither the government nor the judiciary issued an official comment regarding the detained leader.
Tension between the two sides mounted after the arrest of Musleh, as gunmen loyal to the factions stormed the Green Zone and attempted to reach the residence of Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi.
Sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that a political settlement was reached between the two parties, “prompted by an urgent Iranian request for calm.”
According to the sources, “the settlement forces the PMF to refrain from storming into government facilities, in return for Kadhimi’s abstention from targeting major Shiite leaders.”
“The political forces supporting Al-Kadhimi’s government are convinced with the settlement, because they are deeply concerned about the unstable situation in the country,” the sources emphasized.
