Pro-Iranian militias in Mosul: Between stability and destabilization

After the defeat of the Islamic State (IS) in 2017, Mosul was largely left in ruins. Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) militias that initially helped to defeat IS gained a foothold in the city and became increasingly involved in the profitable field of reconstruction. The most powerful of these militias are Shiʿa and pro-Iranian, whereas the Mosul area is predominantly Sunni territory. Taking the sectarian organization of Iraq into account, this article looks at the involvement of Shiʿa militias in the reconstruction of Mosul and the possible implications this could have on the region’s stability.