Iraqi Feyli Islamic Council (Arabic: التجمع الفيلي العراقي الاسلامي; Kurdish: ئەنجومەنی فەیلیی عێراقیی ئیسلامی) or Sarayah al-Feylia is a Shia Islamist political party and paramilitary group in Iraq created by the Feyli Kurds, it is led by Thaer Feyli. It is a part of the Popular Mobilization Forces and State of Law Coalition. In 2006 the council supported and pledged allegiance to the former prime minister Nouri Al-Maliki, and have held high positions in his government. The council was also accused of corruption, stealing billions of dollars from the Iraqi central bank.[1]
| Iraqi Feyli Islamic Council | |
|---|---|
| التجمع الفيلي العراقي الاسلامي | |
 The organizations flag | |
| Leaders | Thaer Feyli |
| Dates of operation | 1991-present |
| Split from | Islamic Dawa Party |
| Allegiance | Feyli Tribal confederation |
| Headquarters | Baghdad |
| Active regions | Northeastern Iraq |
| Ideology | Feyli interest |
| Size | 60 000+[citation needed] |
| Battles and wars | War in Iraq (2013-2017) and Syrian civil war |
Its roots emerged in the 1990s in the aftermath of the 1991 Iraqi uprisings, when the Iraqi government cracked down on the Feyli Kurds and other opposition groups. The group has since become an important player in Iraqi politics, particularly in the eastern provinces of Diyala and Wasit, where the Feyli Kurds are concentrated. Their goal is to establish an autonomous theocratic emirate under strict sharia laws according to shia traditions, the organisation’s ideology have been describe as an Islamist-monarchist ideology by analysts which promotes hereditary rule. Their proposed autonomy have been supported by Kurdish and Shia Arab political parties but denounced by Sunni Arab parties.[2][3][4][5]
The party has participated in Iraqi elections and has formed alliances with other political parties. The group has also sought to build ties with Iran, which has a significant Shia population and has historically supported Shia political groups in Iraq.[6] The armed wing have engaged in many combats against ISIS and other salafi-affiliated groups in Iraq and Syria. The party closest ally is considered to be Iran, where they have traditionally been supported financially and military by Iran. The group have also kept close relations with the Shiite governments in both Iraq and Syria, and even Hezbollah in Lebanon. The council have also received some weapons from North Korea, such as arms, ammunition, tanks and armored vehicles.[7] During the last 7 years the council have had strategic relations with Russia, China and Qatar, they have signed multiple oil and gas deals with Qatari, Russian and Chinese gas companies, making huge profits from it.[8][9]
