1. On Thursday, Sistani-affiliated Atabat Hashd (AH) held a conference in Karbala to launch their plans to provide security for the Arbaeen pilgrimage. This is another attempt to popularize and promote their brand & slogan: “The AH: the incubators of the fatwa & state builders”.
2. This is the first such conference, regarding the pilgrimages to further consolidate the formation of AH. It's also to increasingly set AH apart from the pro-Iran Hashd. Officers from ISF attended the conference. No one from the Iran-dominated Hashd commission was invited. 
3. In this conference, missions of each of the 4 AH units were assigned. The language used in statements pushed out by units of AH is very telling. They emphasize on the government’s support, and coordination with the ISF.
4. They also are keen to mention that this plan is implemented under the supervision of the 3 holy shrines in Karbala and Najaf. Statements issued by both Abbass Combat Division (ACD) & Ansar al-Marjaiya brigade (AMB) emphasize that...
5. ...“AH enjoys the support, sponsorship & guidance of the Hussein and Abbass holy shrines, as well as the support of the local Karbala government and its security commanders”.
6. AH highlight the fact that their activities are under the supervision of the Shia holy shrines which in turn are under the supervision of Sistani. At the same time AH is doing its best to disassociate itself from the Hashd commission and to present itself as the real Hashd.
7. This is a struggle over the appropriation of the brand Hashd, which for many Iraqi Shia is the embodiment of saving the land, their holy cities & values. The Iran-backed Hashd feels it is losing the battle and has no defence other than denying the existence of AH!
8. On Thursday, Falih al-Fayyadh, the head of the Hashd commission went on air to say: “There is one commission & there’s no such names [in it]! Some use these names on the basis that some brigades were established by the support of the holy shrines…
9. ...to me as the head of Hashd al-Shabi commission, they are still linked to us financially, administratively and operationally…)”. Fayyadh is clearly not telling the truth, as the AH are not operationally under his commission.
10. He continued: “This expression [AH], sometimes disappears & sometimes reappears depending on the seasons… yes they still enjoy the support of the atabat [shrines]... the atabat are important fronts and the presence of the marja’s representatives in them give [the AH] value”.
11. Fayyadh is wrong that the use of the term Atabat Hashd fluctuates. In fact it is increasingly becoming a familiar name among Iraqis. He also inadvertently damages the muqawama argument about AH.
12. They argue that those running the holy shrines don’t speak for Sistani. Hence AH's actions which don't seem to be friendly towards the muqawama are not accepted by Sistani. But Fayyadh says by virtue of their affiliation with Sistani, these representatives add value to AH.
13. The Iran-backed muqawama tries hard to seem relevant in the Shia holy cities. Last month a picture of Abu Fadak, Hashd’s chief of staff was circulated on muqawama social media channels with the following caption: “Hashd’s Chief of Staff, Abu Fadak al-Muhammadawi overseas…
14. ... the security measures in the holy governorate of Karbala, along with Hashd’s intelligence [directorate] & other Hashd’s brigades”. Muqawama units in the Hashd are engaged in the security measures of the roads leading to Karbala & Najaf, but not the cities themselves.
15. So, this is an attempt to pretend they have influence in these cities, but in fact they feel isolated there. This is part of the struggle over these very important cities. Last year and in a show of power the muqawama organized hundreds of pilgrims in Arbaeen.
16. The muqawama thuggish group, Raballah was present and clashed with the protesters. Some reports talk about clashes between Raballah and the security forces of the atabat. This year the fact that everybody is busy with the election campaigns might change the dynamic…
17. ...but the atabat seem to be ready for similar activities anyway. Taher al-Khaqani the head of Imam Ali Combat Division (IACD) said on Thursday: “Along the roads, members of intelligence will be deployed to monitor any suspicious activities and religious extremism, etc.”.
18. Also, each year the atabat prepare tens of clerics to be present among the pilgrims to answer their religious questions, and also to encourage them to keep the pilgrimage apolitical. END
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