ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraq’s interior ministry announced on Sunday that it had received more than 10,000 applications from citizens seeking to register their weapons in the first week of October, as part of a nationwide campaign to bring all arms under state control.
Mohammed Ali al-Hassoun, the ministry’s spokesperson, said in a video published by the ministry that residents submitted 10,222 applications across Baghdad and other provinces between October 2 and 9, reflecting what authorities described as growing public awareness of the need to regulate weapons possession.
Unlicensed firearms are frequently used in tribal clashes and personal vendettas across Iraq, undermining the state’s monopoly on the use of force.
Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s government has launched a campaign to bring all weapons under state control, including those held by tribes and militia groups. Zaidi has set a deadline of late June 2027 for militia groups to comply.
“The ministry of interior continues its efforts aimed at regulating weapons possession and enhancing security and stability in Baghdad and the provinces,” Hassoun said, adding that the ministry was streamlining registration procedures while ensuring compliance with legal requirements.
The ministry urged citizens to register their firearms with the relevant authorities, stressing that public cooperation was essential to curbing the unlawful use of weapons and protecting lives and property.
Saad Maan, head of the Iraqi Security Media Cell, said Saturday that the high number of applications was "a positive indicator of the growing awareness of the importance of regulating weapon possession within legal frameworks," according to a statement from his office.
The statement added that the Weapons Control and Regulation Directorate was assisting applicants through 449 offices across Iraq.
The interior ministry has repeatedly warned that weapons remaining unregistered after the end of 2026 will be considered illegal, with their possession potentially constituting a criminal offense.
Earlier this month, Zaidi praised armed factions that had agreed to bring their weapons under state control and urged others to follow suit, after the completion of the US-led international coalition’s withdrawal from Iraq under a 2024 security agreement between Baghdad and Washington.
