Shi'ite militias threaten to expel Iraqi President if he meets with Trump
leaders of the Iraqi Shi'ite Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) threatened to expel Iraqi President Barham Saleh from Baghdad, if he meet with U.S. President Donald Trump, or any of his aides, during the upcoming World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
The threats come a day after the White House announced that President Trump will be meeting on the sidelines of the economic forum with several world leaders including his Iraqi counterpart.
The meeting would be the first between a U.S. official and Iraqi official since the escalation between Washington and Iran erupted following the assassination of Qassem Soleimani.
This report will examine the threats to Iraqi President Saleh made by two PMU groups.
In response to the news of the proposed meeting, Hizballah Brigades military chief, Abu 'Ali Al-'Askari, tweeted: "We stress the requirement for Barham Saleh not to meet with Trump, the fool, or his gang of killers who will be accompanying him. If he meets with them, Iraqis will take a stance against him, because he will be opposing the will of the people and ignoring the noble blood, which this gang spilled.
We will tell him in that case; You are not welcome, and the free-men of our people will expel him from Baghdad, the city of pride and dignity."
