KRG opens new centers to collect unlicensed firearms 

Shafaq News / The Kurdistan Regional Government announced opening 12 centers to collect unregistered firearms. 

The Ministry of Interior said that it will open 40 centers to collect firearms in police departments, and autonomous administrations, in addition to forming 40 joint committees in collaboration with the Ministry of Peshmerga and the Asayish to work on this file.

The ministry will grant licenses to other weaponry that the government views as permissible under the newly-amended gun law, noting that the owner must pledge not to carry, sell, or gift it. 

The registration-and-handover process will continue for one year, after which any seizure of weapons will be dealt with under the laws that govern unlicensed weapons. 

Last month, Prime Minister Masrour Barzani instructed the Ministry of the Interior to close all weapons outlets and confiscate all illegal weapons so that they no longer pose a threat on people's lives.

Barzani said in a statement, "We will not sacrifice the security of our people and our country to evildoers, smugglers and opportunists. I call on the Kurdish people to hand over illegal weapons to the government and participate in the process of cleaning Kurdistan of illegal weapons. Then, the law, the issue of weapons handling will be regulated."