Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi on Wednesday urged armed factions to integrate into state institutions as the United States increases pressure on Baghdad to disarm Iran-backed groups.
Zaidi, who recently assumed office, has backed the idea of the state maintaining exclusive control over weapons, while Washington continues calling on organisations it classifies as terrorist groups to surrender their arms to the Iraqi government.
His remarks came after influential Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr announced that his own faction would move in that direction.
Sadr, who commands a large support base and previously led a militia fighting both US and Iraqi government forces, has for years criticised armed groups backed by Tehran and repeatedly called for their disarmament.
In a statement, Zaidi called “on all armed factions to follow the same responsible national path and operate under the umbrella of the state and its official institutions”.
He said such a move would “guarantee the protection of Iraq, preserve its sovereignty, and strengthen security and stability, based on the principle that the state is the sole authority entitled to monopolise arms and enforce the law.”
Sadr meanwhile announced “the complete separation” of his armed group Saraya al-Salam (the Peace Brigades) from his political party and its “full integration into the state”.
He did not provide details on how this would happen.
Sadr once led the Mahdi Army militia, which was one of the US’s main foes in Iraq after the 2003 invasion that toppled former ruler Saddam Hussein.
He then dissolved the Mahdi Army and created Saraya al-Salam following the emergence of the Islamic State jihadist group, which was defeated in 2017.
Zaidi said Sadr’s “initiative represents an important step toward strengthening internal stability, reinforcing the principle of restricting weapons to the state, and supporting the security forces in carrying out their national and constitutional duties.”
But Sadr has made several reversals over the years, and he has announced on several occasions that he is withdrawing from politics.
The US, which wields significant influence in Iraq, has recently piled pressure on Baghdad to disarm Iran-backed groups, which have intervened in support of Tehran and hit US facilities in Iraq more than 600 times during the Middle East war.
Several powerful Iraqi politicians have also called for a state monopoly on weapons, revealing divisions over the sensitive issue.
While some armed groups showed readiness to cooperate, others remain adamant that the issue should not be discussed under US pressure.
(With inputs from AFP)
