Iraq reaffirms September 30 deadline for weapons under state control
Shafaq News- Baghdad
The Iraqi government on Friday reaffirmed September 30 as the deadline for bringing weapons under state control, saying it had informed armed factions of the date and the mechanisms for addressing the issue.
Speaking to the Iraqi News Agency (INA), government spokesman Haider Al-Aboudi noted that talks with the factions are making progress and “based on the principles of state sovereignty and the interests of the Iraqi people.”
He explained that the government was seeking agreements that would address the weapons issue without affecting the country's stability. “The government is addressing the issue through dialogue and understanding in a way that preserves state sovereignty and prevents any internal confrontation in Iraq.”
Al-Aboudi confirmed that six armed factions are involved in talks with the government over bringing weapons under state control. Some have responded positively to the government's proposals, while others continue discussions on mechanisms that would protect their interests as well as those of the state.
He stressed that Iraq and its institutions are “above any internal confrontation or conflict,” adding that the government's priorities include preserving economic, political, and security stability and continuing efforts to combat corruption.
Read more: Iraq's September deadline undercuts armed factions' case for weapons
Earlier in the day, sources familiar with the factions’ internal deliberations told Shafaq News that Asaib Ahl Al-Haq* had handed over weapons from a base south of Baghdad to state authorities two days ago, on Friday, pointing to progress in the government’s push to bring arms under state control.
Shiite political leaders are exploring a compromise for groups unwilling to disarm. A Coordination Framework source previously told Shafaq News that the proposal would give Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi, as commander-in-chief, authority over any use of their weapons.
Badr Organization leader Hadi Al-Amiri and Al-Hikma Movement leader Ammar Al-Hakim are leading talks with the factions aimed at avoiding a confrontation with the government.
* Asaib Ahl Al-Haq operates Brigades 41, 42, and 43 within the PMF, the state-sanctioned paramilitary umbrella incorporated into Iraq’s security apparatus after its 2014 mobilization against ISIS. The group is represented in Parliament through the Sadiqoon bloc and is designated by the United States as a foreign terrorist organization over its ties to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
