PMF likely to receive factions’ weapons, security adviser says

BAGHDAD — The Popular Mobilization Forces Commission is the most likely body to take custody of weapons handed over by armed factions, the prime minister’s security adviser said — the first time an official has named a destination for them.

“The Popular Mobilization Forces Commission is the closest body, and it is an official government institution linked to the commander-in-chief of the armed forces,” Qasim al-Araji said in a televised interview. “What matters is that the weapons are under the control of the commander-in-chief of the armed forces and that the decision of war and peace is in his hands.”

Talks will run past Sept. 30, he said. “Sept. 30 is the date for the withdrawal of coalition forces, and this date does not mean the end of the process of organizing and restricting weapons. The talks will continue until a final agreement is reached to place weapons in the hands of the state.” He said the last American soldier would leave by the end of September with no extension.

He denied any Iranian role, including by Quds Force commander Esmail Qaani. “Mr. Qaani comes from time to time on very normal visits, and the factions issue is an Iraqi issue,” he said. “There is no role for Iran in the weapons issue. The issue is Iraqi and the solution is Iraqi, without interference from any parties.” He said he keeps relations with all the factions and is sometimes officially assigned to deal with them.

On attacks launched from Iraqi soil at neighbouring countries, Araji said action had been taken. “A group has indeed been arrested and referred to the judiciary, and rulings have been issued against some of them,” he said, adding that the commander-in-chief had ordered the pursuit of anyone using Iraqi territory against a neighbour. “Iraq will not accept, as a government or political spectrum, any offense against any neighboring country.”

Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi said in Washington in July that there would be no justification for armed factions after Sept. 30. Sources have told 964media that the Coordination Framework formed a committee of Hadi al-Amiri, Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and Nouri al-Maliki on the weapons file after the visit of Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.