BAGHDAD—Iraq’s Sunni-majority al-Watanya bloc warned that arming tribes and militia groups by the state would lead to a civil war and that weapons should only be in the hands of government forces.
The al-Watanya bloc led by Vice President Ayad Allawi said in a statement on Saturday that ‘random’ arming of Sunni tribes and Shiite militias would lead the country into a civil war between the country’s different sects.
“Weapons should only be in the hands of government forces to avoid bad consequences and a civil war in the future,” read the statement.
The Iraqi government maintains relations with some Sunni tribes in Anbar while it is allegedly arming several Shiite militia groups to assist the army in the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS).
“Arming the tribes and militias indicates the government’s failure in creating efficient security forces,” said the al-Watanya.
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