Voice of America report exposes Iranian-backed militia’s control over Chaldean–Syriac–Assyrian lands in Iraq’s Nineveh Plains

BAGHDEDE, Iraq — A recent Voice of America report revealed the Babylon Movement, led by sanctioned Rayan al-Kaldani, is responsible for seizing control of much of Nineveh Plains in Iraq. The report highlights that the Babylon Brigades dominate towns in the historically Christian region.

Ostensibly a Chaldean Catholic political movement, in truth, the Babylon Movement is a fringe faction that chiefly represents the personal interests of Rayan al-Kaldani instead of the Christian population. Backed by Iran, the group has strong connections to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) and the Badr Organization. Its military wing, the Babylon Brigades (also called Brigade 50), was created by Kata’ib al-Imam Ali, which is under Iranian control. Despite advertising itself as a Chaldean Catholic and Christian unit, the organization consists mainly of Shia Arab and Shabak troops.

In August 2019, under the Magnitsky human rights violation act, Rayan al-Kaldani was sanctioned by the US Department of Treasury.

Nadine Maenza, Global Fellow at the Wilson Center and President of the International Religious Freedom Secretariat (IRF), expressed concerns over Kaldani’s influence. She stated that Kaldani, with Iranian backing, has removed Chaldean–Syriac–Assyrian officials from these historic towns and replaced them with leaders aligned with Iran’s vision for Iraq.

Maenza, who recently visited Iraq, noted that Kaldani had gained control of the Nineveh Council, installed his preferred candidates in key positions, and effectively reshaped the region’s leadership. She reported that he ousted 15 mayors and directors and replaced them with individuals loyal to his faction, solidifying his grip on Nineveh Plains.

In response, Maenza called for the enforcement of electoral laws in Iraq to protect the political representation of Chaldeans–Syriacs–Assyrians, Yazidis, and other religious and ethnic minorities in Parliament.