Iraq gives army status to Shi'ite militia group
Iraq's parliament approved a law on Saturday to transform Popular Mobilisation forces, a coalition of Iran-backed Shi'ite militias, into a legal and separate military corps. Notably, the group has been accused of abuses against Sunni civilians in towns and villages retaken from Islamic State. This comes while the Iraqi army is trying to recapture the Islamic State stronghold in Mosul.