State of Law proposes separating US troop withdrawal from disarmament
Shafaq News- Baghdad
The State of Law Coalition, headed by former PM Nouri Al-Maliki, has proposed separating the withdrawal of US forces from Iraq from efforts to bring weapons held by armed factions under state control, a source in the Coordination Framework told Shafaq News on Sunday.
The source said the proposal would separate the two processes by at least a short interval to “send messages of reassurance and confidence to all factions.” The proposal remains under consideration.
The US withdrawal would proceed on schedule, the source said, as Baghdad seeks to expand economic ties with Washington following agreements reached during Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi's recent visit to the United States.
Read more: Iraq's Coordination Framework is weakening, but no rival is ready to replace it
Bringing weapons held by armed factions under state control is among the most sensitive issues facing the Iraqi government as a Sept. 30 deadline set by the main political forces approaches.
Iraq and the United States agreed in September 2024 to end the military mission of the US-led coalition under a phased plan shifting the two countries' security relationship from a coalition framework to a bilateral partnership. The first phase ended in September 2025, while some forces remained in the Kurdistan Region to support operations against ISIS in Syria. The final phase is due to be completed by the end of September 2026.
Read more: Iraq's September 30 weapons deadline leaves terms of disarmament unresolved
