697 offices planned
Interior ministry initiates firearm registration program
BAGHDAD, January 27 — The Ministry of Interior held a conference on Saturday to announce the immediate start of direct registration of personal firearms for Iraqi citizens.
The three phase rollout will see Iraqi nationals register firearms with a ministry body. The Kurdistan Region is not part of the plan, but its own Interior Minister Reber Ahmed announced a similar directive late last year following on from his ministry’s previous efforts to regulate gun ownership in the Kurdistan Region.
Statement:
Aligned with the government program under Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, [Interior Minister] Abdul Amir Al-Shammari [and the] Ministry of Interior today initiated the direct registration of personal firearms. The announcement, made at a conference attended by various dignitaries and law enforcement leaders, marks a significant step in weapon regulation.
Minister of Interior Abdul Amir Al-Shammari highlighted the government’s commitment to citizen security and stability. He detailed the National Policy for Regulating and Controlling Weapons and the establishment of the Permanent Committee for Weapons Regulation. The minister also announced the launch of an electronic form for firearm registration, hosted on the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers’ official website.
The registration will unfold in three phases, featuring 697 offices across Iraqi provinces, cities, villages, and districts, except the Kurdistan Region. The conference underscored the project’s importance in centralizing weapon control and reducing crime.
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