Iraq Gives Armed Factions Until June 2027 to Surrender Weapons

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi has given armed factions until June 30, 2027, to surrender their weapons to the state, following the end of the US-led coalition’s military mission in the country.

Al-Zaidi announced the new deadline Thursday, describing October 1 as the beginning of a process to address weapons held outside government control. He said the process would follow an agreed roadmap and conclude no later than the end of June next year.

The announcement came one day after the US-led coalition formally ended its mission in Iraq after more than a decade of operations against ISIS.

The Iraqi government argues that the coalition’s withdrawal removes one of the main reasons Iran-backed armed factions have given for retaining their weapons. NDTV

Al-Zaidi said decisions involving war and peace must remain exclusively with Iraq’s constitutional authorities.

His plan calls for armed factions to come under state authority. It also includes disarming non-Iraqi armed groups operating inside the country and strengthening Iraq’s air-defense capabilities.

However, several powerful Iran-backed factions have rejected the deadline.

Kataeb Hezbollah military spokesman Jaafar al-Husseini said the groups had held talks with the government over regulating their weapons but had not reached an agreement.

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella organization for several Iran-backed groups, said it was not bound by any timetable announced by the government or political parties. It said it remained open to negotiations that it believes would preserve Iraqi sovereignty.

Some smaller armed groups have already agreed to surrender their weapons, while more influential factions have either rejected disarmament or attached conditions to the process.

Al-Zaidi had initially sought to complete the process by September 30, alongside the coalition withdrawal. The government later extended the timetable as negotiations continued.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps welcomed the departure of US forces, calling it a “historic victory” and urging Washington to withdraw its remaining military presence from the Middle East.

Kataeb Hezbollah also celebrated the withdrawal but warned the Iraqi government against implementing policies it views as serving US interests.

The Iran-backed factions have operated for years as influential military and political forces inside Iraq. Several have also targeted US forces with drones and rockets, prompting retaliatory American strikes.

The new deadline will test whether Baghdad can bring those groups fully under state control following the coalition’s departure.