Ya Ali Popular Formations
{{Short description|Shia militia group in Iraq}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox militant organization
| name = Ya Ali Popular Formation
| native_name = Arabic: تشكيلات يا علي الشعبية
| native_name_lang = ar
| caption = Logo of the group
| logo = Ya Ali Popular Formations Militia.png
| logo_size = 150px
| active = 2025 – present
| country = {{flag icon|Iraq}} Iraq
| allegiance =
| ideology = Anti-Syrian government{{Cite web |last=Durghman |first=Nader |date=12 March 2025 |title=Iraq investigates attacks on Syrian workers |url=https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/iraq-investigating-attacks-syrian-workers |website=Middle East Eye|access-date=18 March 2025}}
| partof = Popular Mobilization Forces (alleged){{Cite web |date=12 March 2025 |title=Iran Update, March 12, 2025 |url=https://understandingwar.org/backgrounder/iran-update-march-12-2025 |website=Institute for the Study of War}}
| allies = {{flagicon image|Flag of Abbas Shield Martyrdom Forces.jpg}} Abbas Shield Martyrdom Forces
Kataib Sarkhat al-Quds
| opponents = {{flagicon image|Flag of the Syrian revolution.svg}} Syria
{{flag icon|Iraq}} Iraq{{Cite web|url=https://shafaq.com/en/Iraq/Iraq-s-PM-orders-crackdown-following-attack-on-Syrians|title=Iraq's PM orders crackdown following attack on Syrians|website=Shafaq News|date=11 March 2025|access-date=13 March 2025}}
| battles = Sectarian violence in Iraq
| flag = 200px
}}
Ya Ali Popular Formations ({{langx|ar|تشكيلات يا علي الشعبية}}) is a Shia militia group in Iraq. The group has been reported to engage in attacks against Syrians residing in Iraq, particularly those suspected of supporting Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a Sunni Islamist militant and political organization in Syria.
History
A video surfaced showing the group attacking Syrian workers in Iraq. The footage depicted three masked militia members beating and threatening Syrians, accusing them of supporting HTS.{{Cite web |last=Mohammed |first=Ahmed|date=12 March 2025 |title=Iraqi PM Orders Probe Into Violence Against Syrian Workers, Vows Accountability |url=https://channel8.com/english/33739 |access-date=13 March 2025 |website=Channel 8 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Mahmoud |first=Sinan |date=12 March 2025 |title=Militia targets Syrians in Iraq accused of supporting HTS crackdown |url=https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/2025/03/12/militia-targets-syrians-in-iraq-accused-of-supporting-hts-crackdown/ |access-date=22 March 2025 |website=The National |language=en}} One of the militia members was seen carrying a pistol.
In a statement, the group vowed revenge against any person they suspect of celebrating violence against Alawites. The group claimed that the Iraqi government inaction has forced them to "take matters into their own hands."{{Cite web |last=Menmy|first=Taib |date=11 March 2025 |title=Fallout from mass killings in Syria's coastal areas seeps into Iraq |url=https://www.newarab.com/news/fallout-mass-killing-syrias-coast-seeps-iraq |website=The New Arab}} The group also said that it will "pursue all Syrians who support Jolani and expel them from the country."
The group claimed that it "followed" the activities of Iraqi Syrians on social media who "praised" the rule of Syria's president Ahmed Al-Shara and the Syrian security forces operations against Assad loyalists.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' Al Sudani condemned the group's attack, and called it a “shameful acts of violence against a number of Syrian brothers working in Iraq.”{{Cite web |date=14 March 2025 |title=Iraq PM sets up security team to tackle Shia militia targeting Syrians who support new gov't |url=https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20250313-iraq-pm-sets-up-security-team-to-tackle-shia-militia-targeting-syrians-who-support-new-govt |website=Middle East Monitor}} He has ordered the formation of a security team to track down people responsible for “committing disgraceful acts of violence” against them." Iraqi security forces have also have arrested at least 13 people for "promoting terrorist groups" and "supporting" mass killings of Syrian Alawities.
Accounts on social media have claimed that the group is affiliated with the Popular Mobilization Forces, Iranian backed paramilitary groups, or the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, a branch of Iranian Armed Forces.
In a video clip featuring the image of the former leader of the Lebanese Hezbollah group Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah,{{cite web |title=Iraq’s Iran-backed militias on edge as US hits Houthis in Yemen |url=https://thearabweekly.com/iraqs-iran-backed-militias-edge-us-hits-houthis-yemen |access-date=20 March 2025 |website=The Arab Weekly}} Abbas Shield Martyrdom Forces, Ya Ali Popular Formations and the Kataib Sarkhat al-Quds have threatened to take action in Syria and against the United States{{Cite web |date=19 March 2025 |title=New Iraqi Armed Factions Threaten Attacks Upon US And Syria |url=https://musingsoniraq.blogspot.com/2025/03/new-iraqi-armed-factions-threaten.html |access-date=7 April 2025 |website=Musings on Iraq}}