Minister publicly rejects his own government’s militia disarmament deadline

BAGHDAD — Iraq’s communications minister publicly rejected his own government’s Sept. 30 deadline for bringing weapons under state control, saying the issue cannot be settled by a date.

“The issue of restricting weapons to state control cannot be resolved through fixed deadlines or dates such as the end of September or the beginning of October,” Mustafa Sanad told reporters at the eighth Baghdad Dialogue conference. “The process is complicated and is not that simple.” He said it required realism and deep discussion, and that escalation should be avoided in favour of dialogue.

Sanad distanced himself from the factions. “I am not a negotiator, nor do I represent an entity that includes an armed faction. Even the entity I belong to does not have a faction,” he said. Rushing the process could frustrate the public if people kept seeing weapons displayed at tribal parades and funerals, he said, and he questioned what would follow the American departure: “Who will guarantee the security of Iraq’s airspace and protect our forces on the front lines after US forces leave?”

Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi has set Sept. 30, when the U.S.-led coalition mission ends, as the date, and said in July there would be no justification for any faction after it. The governing coalition said this month that armed activity outside state authority after that date would be treated under the Anti-Terrorism Law.

President Nizar Amedi told the same conference earlier on Saturday that the constitution requires weapons to be held exclusively by the state and that the religious authority in Najaf holds the same position, calling for dialogue and an Iraqi national solution.

Kataib Hezbollah, Harakat al-Nujaba and Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada have refused to disarm; Saraya al-Salam, Asaib Ahl al-Haq and the Imam Ali Battalions have moved to comply.