Factions set a condition for restricting weapons in Iraq: a law that applies to everyone.

Factions set a condition for restricting weapons in Iraq: a law that applies to everyone.

2026-09-11 01:15

Shafaq News – Baghdad
On Friday, a source familiar with the work of the committee formed by the Coordinating Framework for Negotiating with the armed factions revealed that leaders of those factions demanded the enactment of a comprehensive law to restrict and regulate weapons, to be applied to all parties and regions in Iraq, without being limited to Shiite factions.

The source told Shafaq News Agency that “the armed factions requested that the issue of restricting weapons be addressed through a law enacted by the House of Representatives, which includes all forms of weapons outside the framework of the state, without limiting its application to Shiite factions.”

He added that “a number of faction leaders informed the leaders of the coordination framework that the principle of restricting weapons should be applied to everyone, and that the responsibility for this file should not be placed entirely on the Prime Minister, but rather it should be organized within a clear legal framework that the state undertakes to implement.”

According to the source, the proposal includes tribal weapons in the southern and central Euphrates governorates, tribal weapons and armed formations in the western regions of the country, as well as the weapons of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, and any other weapons outside the framework of state institutions. The source indicated that the proposal aims to restrict, organize and manage weapons throughout the country within a unified legal framework, preventing selectivity in applying procedures to one party over another.

The source indicated that “the next stage will witness the formation of a committee tasked with preparing a draft law on restricting, regulating and managing weapons, which will be subject to legal review before being referred to the House of Representatives for a vote, with the participation of political forces.”

The issue of armed factions is one of the most sensitive issues facing the Iraqi government, with the approach of September 30, which the main political forces have set as the deadline for restricting weapons to official institutions.

The State Administration Coalition, which includes the most prominent Shiite, Sunni and Kurdish political forces, stressed during its meeting on August 5 the need to restrict weapons to the state, and considered the parties that carry out activities that threaten the security of the country outside the framework of official institutions as “outlaws and must be fought.”

The coalition warned that any armed activity outside the framework of the state after September 30 would be dealt with according to the anti-terrorism law.

Following this, Iraqi security and military forces raised their readiness level throughout the country, and the leave of a number of commanders and officers was cancelled, while security agencies began implementing field movements and exercises in anticipation of any emergency or friction that might develop into an armed confrontation.

Last week, Baghdad witnessed hours of security tension coinciding with threats by armed factions to retaliate against Saudi Arabia after strikes targeted Popular Mobilization Forces sites, before it ended with contacts and a dawn meeting between Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zubaidi and Badr Organization leader Hadi al-Amiri, which led to a mutual calming and opened the way for diplomatic action to address the crisis.

Al-Amiri later called on the “Islamic Resistance” factions to postpone any military response against Saudi Arabia and to prioritize “Iraq’s higher interest,” but he returned and stressed during a meeting with a number of Popular Mobilization Forces leaders the importance of maintaining a high level of readiness.

The plan to restrict weapons does not have a unified stance from the armed factions.

While some forces expressed a willingness to reorganize their military and security relationship with the state, other factions, including Kataib Hezbollah, Harakat al-Nujaba and Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada, announced their refusal to relinquish their military capabilities, and linked any discussion about their weapons to the end of the presence of foreign forces and ensuring the protection of Iraq from external attacks.

September 30th also coincides with the deadlines related to ending the international coalition’s military presence in Iraq, which some factions use as a basis for linking the future of their weapons to the withdrawal of foreign forces.

shafaq.com