Shiite Militias In Iraq: Savior Or Menace?

It's been another deadly week in Baghdad. Nearly 200 people have been killed in a relentless campaign of violence waged by the Sunni militant group ISIS against Shiite neighborhoods and mosques.

West of Baghdad, Iraqi security forces say they have stalled the advance of the militants toward the capital and its crucial airport. But how are Baghdad's seven million people coping with the menace from without and terror within?

The BBC's Andrew Hosken reports that many Baghdad residents see the Shiite militias as saviors, but others worry these brigades of volunteers have grown ominously powerful.

Note: This BBC interview can be heard in the Here & Now podcast or with the WBUR app.