Iraq moves to retrieve weapons from non-security ministries

BAGHDAD — Iraq’s Interior Ministry announced a nationwide push to withdraw weapons from non-security ministries as part of a broader effort to regulate firearms and strengthen state oversight of armed entities. The ministry also extended its firearm registration deadline to Dec. 31, noting that 35,000 heads of households have registered their weapons so far.

“The ministry has launched intensive operations to retrieve weapons from all non-security institutions and integrate them into the national firearms database,” said Mansour Ali Sultan, secretary of the National Committee for Arms Regulation, in a statement to the state-owned newspaper Al-Sabah. “Only security forces authorized by the ministry should possess firearms.”

To facilitate the registration process, the ministry has designated 697 offices at police stations throughout Baghdad and the governorates, excluding the Kurdistan Region. Anbar recorded the highest number of firearm registrations, with more than 5,350, followed by Kirkuk at 3,624 and Babil at 3,405. Applicants can also register online via the Ur platform, receiving a QR code and SMS confirmation upon completion.

The Interior Ministry intensified its firearm collection efforts in 2025, moving to track, document and regulate all weapons under government supervision. “We are committed to removing unregistered arms and ensuring all security agencies operate under strict state control,” Sultan added.

Authorities confiscated 32,000 weapons last year through field committees in Baghdad and other governorates. The ongoing campaign seeks to curb unauthorized firearm possession, bolster security and reinforce the rule of law by restricting weapons to official security forces.