Iraq’s government has set the end of September as the deadline for the disarmament of Iran-backed armed groups when the US-led International Coalition to fight ISIS ends its mission in the country, a spokesman said on Wednesday.
Baghdad is pushing to disarm pro-Tehran armed groups and bring their weapons under state control, one of Washington’s conditions for defence and economic co-operation. The US has also warned it opposes the participation of any militia in the Iraqi government.
This month, two prominent Iran-backed groups – Asaib Ahl Al Haq and Kataib Imam Ali – announced they would hand over their weapons to the Iraqi state. The move followed a similar decision by Shiite cleric Moqtada Al Sadr to place his Saraya Al Salam group's arms under state control.
The long-awaited move was welcomed by Prime Minister Ali Al Zaidi, who described it as a “responsible stance” that would strengthen state institutions and the rule of law. US envoy Tom Barrack also praised the initiative, saying it would contribute to “the architecture of order” in Iraq.
However, several armed factions, mainly Kataib Hezbollah and Harakat Hezbollah Al Nujaba, have taken a different stance and linked disarmament to the presence of US and other foreign troops in Iraq.
“For the deadline, there is a time marker after which the reasons for unregulated weapons end, which is the end of September, the end of the International Coalition’s presence,” government spokesman Haider Al Aboodi told a press conference, referencing the agreement with Washington to wind down the coalition mission.
Under a 2024 deal between Baghdad and Washington, coalition forces exited federal Iraq by September last year and will leave the Kurdistan region by September this year.
Asked by The National what steps the government would take if these groups kept their weapons after September, Mr Al Aboodi said: “We will consider legal measures”. He did not elaborate.
Iraqi officials argue that with ISIS largely defeated and security stabilised, the rationale for a multinational force of 86 countries no longer exists.
Mr Al Aboodi said the current government “is fully committed to its relationship with the International Coalition and the agreement”.
Mr Al Sadr's Saraya Al Salam, which is not pro-Iran, took down its flag in a ceremony at its headquarters in Samarra, north of Baghdad, to mark the beginning of the process in front of senior military officials. The other two groups have formed committees charged with meeting all requirements for the handover, including compiling inventories of personnel, weapons, vehicles, equipment and logistics.
Last week, a politician linked to the Co-ordination Framework, the largest Shiite parliamentary bloc, told The National the plan was to end process within three months. Thousands of jobs will be available in security forces for members of these groups after criminal records are checked, he added.
The disarmament effort is central to Mr Al Zaidi’s agenda of restoring state sovereignty and reducing the influence of armed groups operating outside government control. The Popular Mobilisation Forces, an umbrella group of mostly Shiite militias formally integrated into Iraq’s security structure, include several groups aligned with Iran.
Washington has pressed Baghdad to dismantle groups affiliated with the PMF, designating several of them as foreign terrorist organisations.
