Iraq plans to bring 6 million weapons under state control

A Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) fighter. Photo: AFP Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – An official in the Iraqi Ministry of Interior said on Monday that the government is proceeding with the decision to restrict the possession of weapons exclusively to security forces. Hussein al-Awadi, the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior, confirmed in a statement that the authorities intend to collect up to six million weapons in the coming months, the state-run Iraqi News Agency (INA) reported. Bringing arms under state control is a decision firmly adopted by the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and all Iraqi government security agencies, ensuring that weapons remain exclusively in the hands of official security forces, according to al-Awadi. In late August, the Iraqi military reaffirmed its commitment to implementing the government’s goal of putting all weapons under state control, stating that it is an irreversible sovereign matter. Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi is spearheading the government’s proposal to bring all weaponry under strict state control to strengthen national sovereignty, enforce the rule of law, and keep the country out of regional wars. The effort aims to abolish autonomous armed power by September 30, 2026, when the military mission of the US-led international coalition comes to an end. Armed factions such as Asaib Ahl al-Haq and Kataib al-Imam Ali have started to sever their autonomous ties to fully integrate into official governmental institutions. The Iraqi Interior Ministry extended the national weapons registration procedure to the end of 2026 while continuing to purchase medium-range firearms from individuals. Security personnel are actively targeting unauthorized organizations, carrying out raids and seizing illegal weapons. Factions such as Kataib Hezbollah, Harakat al-Nujaba, and Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada refuse to disarm as long as any foreign military presence remains in the country. While foreign forces depart on September 30, security authorities underline that the date symbolizes the beginning of a progressive, long-term weapon control process, rather than an explicit timetable for final disarmament.