The first official Iraqi stance on the weapons of the factions: “It will be resolved quickly after September 30th.”
The spokesman for the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Sabah al-Nu’man, confirmed on Thursday that restricting weapons to the state is an “Iraqi sovereign matter,” indicating that the government is dealing with armed factions on this issue through dialogues taking place at the highest levels, while expecting the matter to be resolved after the end of the international coalition’s mission. Dailynews subscription
Al-Nu’man told Shafaq News Agency: “After the end of the international coalition’s mission, there will be an acceleration in resolving this issue, because all justifications for the presence of weapons after September 30 will have disappeared,” stressing that “our security forces are ready and on high alert to ensure Iraqi national security and protect Iraqi sovereignty.”
He explained that “the process of regulating weapons under the umbrella of governmental legitimacy will end in record time,” noting that the government has “confidence in the direction and goal of these factions to protect the security of Iraq, as the goal is one: a stable Iraq and that weapons be in the hands of the Iraqi security forces.”
The issue of armed factions is one of the most sensitive issues facing the Iraqi government, with the approach of September 30, which the main political forces have set as the deadline for restricting weapons to official institutions.
The State Administration Coalition, which includes the most prominent Shiite, Sunni and Kurdish political forces, stressed during its meeting on August 5 the need to restrict weapons to the state, and considered the parties that carry out activities that threaten the security of the country outside the framework of official institutions as “outlaws and must be fought.”
The coalition warned that any armed activity outside the framework of the state after September 30 would be dealt with according to the anti-terrorism law.
The September 30th date also coincides with the deadlines related to ending the international coalition’s military presence in Iraq, which some factions use as a basis for linking the future of their weapons to the withdrawal of foreign forces.
Shafaq.com