Babylon Movement

Babylon Movement
حركة بابليون
LeaderRayan al-Kildani
Founded2014; 10 years ago (2014)
HeadquartersBaghdad, Iraq
Military wingBabylon Brigade
ReligionSyriac Christianity, Shia Islam (official, de-facto)
Parliament
4 / 329 (1%)

The Babylon Movement (Arabic: حركة بابليون) is a political party situated in Iraq. Founded in 2014, it is the political wing of the Babylon Brigades, a Christian militia that was formed as part of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces. Rayan al-Kildani currently leads the party since founding it in 2014.[1][2][3]

The party, through its incorporation into the Popular Mobilization Forces, has close ties to the Badr Organization and IRGC.[4] Since the defeat of ISIS, the Babylon Movement has been accused a multitude of human rights abuses, including illegal land seizures in the Nineveh Governorate and election corruption.[5] [6] While the party claims to represent the interests of Iraqi Christians, primarily the Assyrian people, a majority of the party's voters and members are Shia Muslim, since a ruling in 2009 designated that any Iraqi could vote for designated minority seats.[7]

Babylon Brigade
كتائب بابليون
LeadersRayan al-Kildani
Allegiance Iraq
Group(s)
  • 50th Brigade[8]
Size1,000+[9]
Part of Popular Mobilization Forces
Allies
Opponents Islamic State
Nineveh Plain Protection Units
Battles and warsWar in Iraq (2013–2017)
  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference :1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference :2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ "A Mostly Non-Christian Militia Won 2 Of Iraqi Christians' Parliamentary Seats". HuffPost. 23 May 2018. Archived from the original on 30 August 2019. Retrieved 30 Aug 2019.
  5. ^ "Inside Iraq's Chaldean Catholic Church battle with Iran-backed Christian group". Al-Monitor. 22 July 2023. Archived from the original on 24 July 2023. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  6. ^ "Iraq Security and Humanitarian Monitor: JULY 11 – JULY 18, 2019". Enabling Peace in Iraq Center. 18 July 2019.
  7. ^ "Iraq: Beware of Rayan al-Kildani and his "Christian" Babylon Movement". Bitter Winter. 27 September 2023.
  8. ^ a b Al-Tamimi, Aymenn Jawad (October 31, 2017). "Hashd Brigade Numbers Index". Rubin Center. Archived from the original on March 3, 2018. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  9. ^ Kaplan, Michael (July 13, 2015). "In Iraq, Christian Militia Battles Islamic State Militants: 'ISIS Terrorists Are Our Enemy'". IB Times. Archived from the original on November 8, 2020. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  10. ^ "الهديل - الهديل- تعرّف على أبرز فصائل الحشد الشّعبي... هذا هو تعدادها وأبرز قادتها". Archived from the original on 2020-09-06. Retrieved 2020-09-06.
  11. ^ Bennett-Jones, Owen (April 11, 2016). "The Christian militia fighting IS". BBC News. Archived from the original on July 15, 2018. Retrieved August 20, 2020.