Iraq’s finance minister says plans by the military to hire thousands of new forces have been approved despite budget squeeze and stumbling oil prices.
Hoshiyar Zebari said in an interview with Reuters on Wednesday that Iraq’s next year budget will allow the recruitment of an additional 10,000 forces by the military although budget cuts may affect final figures.
“I think we gave them ... about 10,000 new recruits which they have requested, but they have their budget within the security forces,” he said, adding, “We will pay their salaries, we pay for their equipment, we pay for their basic war needs.”
Zebari said an estimated $1 billion will be allocated to the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), a key element in Iraq’s current battle against the Daesh group which includes volunteer fighters from Iraq's Shia and Sunni communities. That money would constitute about five percent of Iraq’s projected defense spending.
