By Anas al-Bar | 2026-10-21

The Iraqi government’s decisive mandate to disband armed groups and surrender weapons to security forces is gaining significant momentum across the nation.

Official and public sectors broadly welcome these movements, viewing them as essential support for Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s national security plan.

This strategic effort aims to consolidate all military power under legitimate state control while systematically dismantling illegal armed formations.

During an October 5 meeting with influential tribal leaders, al-Zaidi confirmed that five distinct groups have already formally agreed to surrender their weapons.

He noted that three of these groups have effectively completed the handover, while dialogue continues with the remaining organizations.

This process represents a vital step toward restoring the rule of law and ensuring that only official agencies protect Iraq.

Al-Sadr leads critical reform efforts

Prominent Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr emerged as a key champion of this initiative, prioritizing Iraq's stability over factional interests.

In May, he detached the "Saraya al-Salam" faction from his political movement, facilitating its full integration into national security forces.

In late September, al-Sadr dissolved the "Promised Day Brigades," an armed group he founded nearly two decades ago.

He ordered the transformation of this force into a civilian entity, emphasizing that armed militias are now obsolete.

Al-Sadr declared that legitimate state agencies bear the sole responsibility for security, rendering unlicensed factions entirely unnecessary.

He urged the government to advance national interests, labeling any group that refuses to disarm as inherently outlaw.

Restoring authority through unified security

Ghazi Faisal Hussein, director of the Iraqi Center for Strategic Studies, describes al-Sadr's compliance as a "highly positive development for national order."

He emphasized the necessity of leaving defense tasks to state security forces so they may exercise their legal and legitimate role.

"Al-Sadr's stance aligns with Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani’s call to restrict arms possession to the state and integrate fighters officially," Hussein told Al-Fassel.

However, Iran-backed militias like Kataib Hizbullah and Harakat al-Nujaba continue to refuse this mandate, stubbornly clinging to their illicit military arsenals.

These factions violate the constitution by engaging in foreign conflicts and threatening neighboring countries to serve the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Analysts assert that disarming these rogue elements remains essential for building a stronger Iraq capable of upholding its sovereign interests.

Achieving this goal requires sustained government pressure to ensure that no group remains above the law or challenges the state's authority.