Holy Mobilisation: The Religious Legitimation behind Iraq’s Counter-ISIS Campaign

Following the capture of Mosul and Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi’s historic caliphate proclamation in 2014, media outlets were only far too eager to spread overtly fatalistic scenarios painting the imminent “end of Iraq.” Nevertheless, within four years’ time, an unprecedented surge of volunteers has managed to reverse the tide. Marching under the banner of the so-called Popular Mobilisation, known in Arabic as al-Hashd al-Sha‘abi, these mission driven young warriors have contributed immensely to countering the...