Iraqi PM opens Baghdad hospital for COVID-19 established by Popular Mobilization Forces

AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi on Sunday opened a hospital for COVID-19 patients established by a Popular Mobilization Forces.

Kadhimi’s media office announced that the PM officially opened al-Ataa hospital, which was converted from militia headquarters to a medical facility by Saraya al-Salam, headed by the prominent Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.

The hospital is in Sadr city, formerly known as Al-Thawra, a suburb northeast of Baghdad.

“Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi opened al-Ataa Hospital in Sadr City for patients infected with corona, which was established by Saraya al-Salam brigades in cooperation with the Ministry of Health and Environment,” the PM’s media office tweeted on Sunday.

Saraya al-Salam, or “Peace Brigades,” is part of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), known in Arabic as Hashd al-Shaabi, a network of predominantly Shiite Muslim forces formed in 2014 to fight the Saudi-US backed Islamic State (ISIS).

The group is  accused of torturing and killing Iraqi protesters in the wave of demonstrations that started in October 2019.

In another tweet, Kadhimi thanked Saraya al-Salam and Muqtada al-Sadr for their efforts in converting one of their headquarters into the hospital.

“Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi appreciates the efforts of Saraya al-Salam for establishing a hospital to provide services for the public, and thanked his eminence Muqtada al-Sadr,” the tweet read.

Iraq continues to record thousands of new COVID-19 cases a day, with 2,125 new infections announced on Sunday.





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