Baghdad advances roadmap for armed faction integration
Shafaq News- Baghdad
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi is preparing to launch the next phase of efforts to bring armed factions under state control, with a high-level meeting planned to set a timetable for disarmament, integration of fighters into official institutions, and the dismantling of faction-controlled sites, a government source told Shafaq News on Saturday.
The process will be carried out in three stages. The first stage involves identifying and documenting sites belonging to each faction or movement, followed by the assessment and handover of weapons according to a defined timetable. The third stage focuses on integrating faction members into the state institutions or the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF).
According to the source, the integration process will be overseen by joint committees composed of representatives from the participating factions, relevant ministries, and security and military institutions under the supervision of the commander-in-chief of the armed forces.
Earlier this week, a committee formed by Patriotic Shiite Movement (PSM) leader Muqtada Al-Sadr convened its first meeting to oversee the formal full separation of Saraya Al-Salam from the movement and begin implementing the measures required under Al-Sadr’s one-week deadline.
Most of Iraq’s current armed groups emerged after the 2003 US-led invasion and expanded significantly following ISIS' takeover of large parts of Iraq in 2014.
The issue has also drawn growing international attention, particularly from the United States, which has linked support for the Iraqi government to reducing the influence of armed factions within state institutions.
Reports indicate that Washington opposes the participation of armed factions in government unless they are disarmed and has also called for ending government funding for some formations, adding pressure to Iraq’s already complex political landscape.
Read more: After Al-Sadr’s decision, is Iraq closer to restricting weapons to the state?
