The Rab’allah Movement, "Shiite Vigilantism" or more?

Shafaq News / The storm triggered by the military parade in Baghdad, that supported the resistance against the US and denounced the dollar’s high price, as announced a statement on behalf of the Rab’allah Movement, renews questions about the identity of this organization and its objectives.

It is not the first time that this movement’s members demonstrate holding pictures denouncing Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi since their movement first appeared during demonstrations against the U.S. embassy - which came in response to U.S. raids in western Iraq in late 2019, days before the assassination of Qasem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis.

The Rab’allah Movement has since imposed an extraordinary security challenge on the Iraqi government, which has not reached a clear conclusion despite numerous investigations into violations committed by the said movement, and none of its members have been held accountable.

The group has no known leader, organizational structure, or specific headquarters, so it operates in the shadows. Iraqis know only a few social media platforms - especially on WhatsApp and Telegram - which are supposed to speak on the movement’s behalf.

Otherwise, the only almost universal information circulating around regarding the Rab’allah movement is that the latter is derived from one of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) factions - or under its name. Hours after the mysterious demonstration in Baghdad, PMF’s leadership stated disavowing the Rab’allah Movement and its parade.

Most importantly, a statement on behalf of the movement was issued to "bless the weapon that is raised in the face of the Americans and their agents”, and “thank the honorable Iraqi Parliament’s members who are demanding a reduction in the U.S. dollar’s price against the Iraqi dinar, and support the poor who are the majority of our people”.

Because of this movement’s actions - attacking massage centers or liquor stores - some have found many similarities between it and the "morality police", ISIS’s so-called "Al-Khansaa Brigade" which includes women in charge of the role of the morality police, the Saudi “Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice”, the Saudi "obedience" members who pursue the Saudi citizens’ actions, or elements of the Iranian Basij which were accused of interfering with the privacy and behavior of the people.

The "Rab’allah Movement” was not the only militia that emerged after the assassination of Soleimani and Al-Muhandis and in the period after October 2019 demonstrations. There is also Ashab Al-Kahaf, League of Revolutionaries, and many others.

Iraqis still remember that in October 2020, Erbil's airport was targeted by missiles, followed by former Foreign Affairs Minister Hoshyar Zebari’s call for curbing the militias, which subjected him to a smear campaign and a major incitement on social media platforms. It led to a demonstration against the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) in front of its headquarters in Baghdad. The demonstration ended with the burning of KDP’s headquarters, and the Rab’allah Movement is believed to be behind it.

The Rab'allah Movement indeed appears to be an "independent" group formed recently. However, security estimates indicate that it may be associated with older and more organized groups, including the "Kata’ib Hezbollah" - as confirmed by its security chief, Abu Ali Al-Askari, who issued a clarification after the movement’s parade.

It is noteworthy mentioning that the attacks carried out by this movement do not lead to casualties - apparently to avoid stirring up public opinion entirely against them. Also, their attacks are precedented by a campaign of defaming.

In addition to attacking and burning KDP’s headquarters, the Rab’allah movement is attributed to other attacks, such as the destruction of the MBC Iraq TV channel’s headquarters for airing a documentary about Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis describing him as a terrorist. It was also blamed for the attack on the Dijlah TV channel’s headquarters last year when the channel aired a concert in conjunction with the commemoration of Ashura.

It was also accused of blowing up the American Institute for Teaching English in Najaf last September, attacking a massage center in Baghdad and some nightclubs.

While some describe these actions as an application of the idea of "moral police," others say their aim may be to financially blackmail these sites into providing funding to those belonging to the movement.

According to some reports, the Rab’allah Movement played another role in infiltrating demonstrations against the government, to gather information or carry out arrests and assassinations.

This movement is engaged in media activity through social media groups, such as Al-Mustashar, Al-Sayida Al-Oula, Sibiyan Al-Safara, Al-Hajji and Al-Khal, Al-Jokeriya, Sabereen News, and Jabhat Abu Jiddaha.