Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Falih al-Zaidi set 30 June 2027 as the target date for completing the handover of faction weapons and ending their existence as independent armed formations, under a phased government plan aimed at placing all weapons under state institutions and integrating fighters into the official security services.
De-escalation plan and handover of faction weapons
Al-Zaidi said in an interview with The New York Times that the plan would begin with a 90-day first phase, during which armed factions would commit to halting attacks in return for guarantees that they would not be targeted by the United States. This phase would pave the way for a gradual handover of weapons, culminating in completion of the process by the end of next June.
The prime minister stressed that the government would consider any armed group continuing its activities after the specified deadline to be acting outside the law, affirming that he would not back down from placing weapons under state authority. He described implementation of the plan as “not optional but a necessity”, adding that bringing weapons under state control and combating corruption were a “matter of honour” for him.
Deadline extended from previous timetable
The new timetable marks a shift from 30 September 2026, previously proposed as the deadline for completing the file on weapons held outside official institutions, coinciding with the end of the international coalition’s mission in Iraq. The updated plan gives the government and factions more time to implement arrangements for halting attacks, handing over weapons and integrating fighters.
The prime minister’s security affairs adviser, Qasim al-Araji, had denied on 18 September the reports that a deadline had been set for the work of the committee tasked with bringing weapons under state control. He said at the time that the committee would continue its work until it completed its mission, after which those carrying illicit weapons would face strict legal measures.
Al-Zaidi’s subsequent announcement set a timeframe for the broader government plan concerning the armed factions. The Iraqi government says it favours addressing the issue through dialogue and avoiding military confrontation. Al-Zaidi had previously said that some factions had begun handing over their weapons or reorganising their security status, while negotiations continued with other groups over the mechanisms and timetables required for joining official institutions.
Factions divided over handing over weapons
The plan faces differing positions among the factions. Some formations have expressed readiness to hand over their weapons or operate under the state’s umbrella, while other groups, including Iraqi Kataib Hezbollah and Harakat al-Nujaba, have rejected giving up the weapons they describe as “the weapons of resistance”.
Alongside the factions issue, Iraq’s Interior Ministry is working to regulate weapons in civilian circulation and establish a database to track them. Undersecretary Hussein al-Awadi said the state aimed to bring around six million weapons into the registration and oversight system in the coming months, affirming that the decision to place weapons under state control was backed by the government and official security formations.
During a meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in New York, Al-Zaidi affirmed that government measures aimed at bringing weapons under state control in accordance with constitutional and legal frameworks were continuing. Rubio, for his part, stressed support for Iraq’s stability and the importance of dismantling armed formations and preventing attacks from being launched from Iraqi territory.
Implementation of the timetable depends on the government’s ability to reach understandings with the factions on handing over and classifying weapons, integrating fighters and severing the new formations’ ties to political parties and actors. The phased measures are scheduled to continue until 30 June 2027, the date set by the government for ending the existence of armed groups independent of state institutions.
