Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi attends a meeting with senior military commanders and security officials as the government
Spox: military committee begins work on weapons handover and PMF restructuring
BAGHDAD — A committee formed on the orders of Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi has begun work on implementing plans to place weapons under state control, military spokesman Sabah al-Numan said Wednesday, describing the process as covering weapons transfers, administrative restructuring and the protection of fighters’ rights.
Speaking to the Iraqi News Agency, al-Numan said the committee was established “through a purely Iraqi decision, in response to and fulfillment of the call of the wise religious authority, and also in accordance with the ministerial program, government policy and the approach of the prime minister and commander-in-chief.” He said a complete inventory of weapons and equipment would be submitted to the central committee within two days, with all materiel transferred to the committee and Iraqi security agencies. “It will not take a long time,” he said.
The committee includes representatives from the Defense Ministry, Interior Ministry, Joint Operations Command and the PMF, and will develop mechanisms for integrating relevant formations into state institutions, including the handover of weapons, equipment and camps to Iraqi security authorities. Al-Numan said the concept of separation from the PMF extends beyond weapons transfers to cover administrative restructuring of formations within the security services and guarantees for fighters’ rights.
He said Iraq currently enjoys a stable security environment and that “all terrorist threats have been eliminated.”
The committee’s work follows the Coordination Framework’s June 1 decision authorizing al-Zaidi to implement weapons restriction and PMF separation from political affiliations. Several factions have since announced support: Muqtada al-Sadr said Saraya al-Salam would integrate into state institutions, Asaib Ahl al-Haq formed a committee to oversee its own separation, and the Imam Ali Battalions announced similar procedures.
Other factions continue to resist. Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada, led by Abu Ala al-Walaei, said it would not hand over its weapons, describing them as a trust and a duty. Kataib Hezbollah has also maintained its opposition, with security official Abu Mujahid al-Assaf saying on May 30 the group was prepared to acquire weapons from departing factions, including drones, loitering munitions, cruise missiles and anti-armor weapons. Harakat al-Nujaba on Wednesday reiterated its opposition, saying its position remained unchanged.