Al-Zaydi welcomes the joining of “Saraya al-Salam” to the state and calls on factions to follow the same path
Al-Zaydi welcomes the joining of “Saraya al-Salam” to the state and calls on factions to follow the same path
2026-05-27
Shafaq News – Baghdad
On Wednesday, Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Ali Faleh al-Zaidi praised the position announced by the leader of the Shiite National Movement, Muqtada al-Sadr, which included the integration of the Saraya al-Salam formations into the state and placing them under the command of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.
Al-Zaydi said in a statement received by Shafaq News Agency that this step represents “an important path to strengthening internal stability, consolidating the principle of restricting weapons to the state, and supporting security agencies in performing their constitutional duties.”
The Prime Minister called on all armed factions to take the same path and work under the umbrella of the state and its official institutions, in order to ensure the protection of Iraq, preserve its sovereignty, and enhance security and stability, on the basis that the state is the only entity authorized to bear arms and enforce the law.
Al-Zaydi stressed that the current stage requires unifying efforts, prioritizing the supreme national interest, and strengthening citizens’ confidence in constitutional institutions within the framework of a strong state governed by the rule of law.
The leader of the Shiite National Movement, Muqtada al-Sadr, announced the separation of the “Peace Brigades” from the movement and their joining the state, with the transformation of its civilian formations into official institutions without weapons, headquarters or organizational titles, stressing that the decision came out of the public interest.
At the same time, Al-Sadr called on the rest of the Popular Mobilization Forces to move away from partisan and sectarian frameworks and to fully submit to the authority of the state and hand over weapons, within the framework of a general trend to restrict weapons to the government and to regulate the work of armed formations within official and time-bound mechanisms.
The Iraqi government is moving towards the issue of restricting weapons to the state within its ministerial program, as the government program included a clear clause on this matter, with an emphasis on forming committees and time mechanisms for its implementation.
Government sources told Shafaq News Agency that there is relative “flexibility” among some forces and factions after previous hardline positions, while steps to organize and hand over weapons are being discussed in parallel with political moves and agreements within the coordination framework.
In contrast, some factions, most notably the “Al-Nujaba Movement,” assert that the inventory measures target “uncontrolled” weapons that cause chaos, and not what they describe as “resistance weapons.”
shafaq.com
