Interior Minister: political agreement on "state control of weapons," Al-Sudani oversees PMF

Shafaq News/ Iraqi Interior Minister Abdul Amir Al-Shammari assured on Sunday that all security forces in Iraq are under the command of the country's armed forces, while revealing new details about the government's decision to buy weapons from citizens.

In an interview with Al Arabiya TV, Al-Shammari said, "The ministry is in the process of preparing to take over the security file from the army and the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF)."

The security forces include units from the Ministries of Defense and Interior, the Counter-Terrorism Service, and the PMF.

The minister emphasized that there is a consensus among the government, political factions, and citizens on the importance of preventing weapons from remaining outside state control.

Regarding the ongoing weapons buyback campaign, Al-Shammari explained that "the ministry has established phases and a timeline for the work of the higher committee overseeing the weapons collection initiative."

According to the minister, thousands of citizens registered their weapons at police stations in 2024, with the registration period extended into 2025.

Al-Shammari added that his ministry will work on marking, tagging, and integrating these weapons into a unified database.

Meanwhile, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammad Shiaa Al-Sudani is set to visit the United Kingdom on Monday for an official trip, according to a source speaking to Shafaq News. The issue of "weapons control" is expected to top the agenda of discussions.

Last week, leader of the Shiite National Movement, Muqtada al-Sadr, renewed calls for the necessity of placing all weapons under the control of the Iraqi military and official security forces.