The Turkmen Brigades are

Iraqi Turkmen The Iraqi Turkmen (, عراق تورکمنلری; Arabic: تركمان العراق), also referred to as Iraqi Turks, (, عراق توركلری; ) are the third largest ethnic group in Iraq. They make up to 10%–13% of the Iraqi population. I ...

militias formed as part of the

Popular Mobilization Forces The Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF; ), also known as the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), is an Iranian-backed paramilitary umbrella group that operates within Iraq. Although formally and legally part of the Iraqi Armed Forces and reportin ...

in 2014. The group's commander, Sayyed Yilmaz Najar, rejected proposals for a unified Turkmen militia from the Pro-

Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...

group, the

Iraqi Turkmen Front The Iraqi Turkmen Front (abbreviated as ITF) is a political movement representing the Iraqi Turkmen people. It was founded on April 5, 1995 as a coalition of several Turkmen parties operating within the framework of Iraq's unity. The party aims f ...

. Najar cited his reason for rejecting the proposal as his group having both

Shia Shia Islam is the second-largest branch of Islam. It holds that Muhammad designated Ali ibn Abi Talib () as both his political successor (caliph) and as the spiritual leader of the Muslim community (imam). However, his right is understood ...

and

Sunni Sunni Islam is the largest branch of Islam and the largest religious denomination in the world. It holds that Muhammad did not appoint any successor and that his closest companion Abu Bakr () rightfully succeeded him as the caliph of the Mu ...

Turkmen, whereas the Iraqi Turkmen Front is exclusively Sunni. On 25 September 2016, 16th Brigade announced that the militias would participate in the Hawija Offensive.

References

Anti-ISIL factions in Iraq Factions of the Popular Mobilization Forces Iraqi Turkmen organizations Paramilitary forces of Iraq Rebel groups in Iraq Resistance movements {{Iraq-mil-stub