Iraqi judiciary head says 4 armed factions willing to disarm

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraq's Supreme Judicial Council President Faiq Zidan on Wednesday announced that four armed militia groups have committed to restricting weapons to the hands of the government. This comes amid heated discussions on the future of these pro-Iran groups and Washington’s threats. 

In an exclusive interview with Rudaw, Zidan named Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq, Kata’ib Imam Ali, Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada and Ansar Allah al-Awfiya as “factions that have clearly declared their commitment to the principle of restricting weapons to the hands of the state, in accordance with the directives of the Supreme Religious Authority [the Marja].”

Hashd al-Shaabi or Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), which includes Iran-aligned armed groups, was formed in 2014 to fight the Islamic State following a call from Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani. The PMF has been partially integrated into the state but a recent move for full integration was retracted by the government following US pressure.

Some of the political wings of the armed factions won seats in the November parliamentary elections, with Sadiqoon Bloc, an affiliate of the Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq armed group, winning 27 of the legislature’s 329 seats.

Washington has intensified pressure on Baghdad to curb Iranian influence and reduce the role of Iran-backed armed groups. The United States is reportedly urging Iraq to dissolve all armed factions, including those integrated into state structures such as the PMF.

Earlier this week, Mark Savaya, US President Donald Trump’s special envoy to Iraq, described reported steps by Iraqi armed factions towards disarmament as “a welcome and encouraging development,” saying it “represents a positive response to the longstanding calls and aspirations of the Marjaeya and our respected religious authorities.”

His remarks came amid criticism of recent comments by Zidan who thanked “the brothers, the leaders of the [armed] factions” for responding to his advice on “cooperating to enforce the rule of law, confining weapons to the hands of the state, and transitioning to political action after the national need for military action has ceased.”

A draft of the latest US National Defense Authorization Act links continued US financial assistance to Iraq to tangible reductions in the capabilities of Iran-aligned militias. The legislation also bans any US assistance to the pro-Iran Badr Organization, led by Hadi al-Ameri, which secured 18 seats in the most recent parliamentary elections.

Savaya stressed that statements of intent are not enough, adding that there must be a “comprehensive” and "irreversible" disarmament that includes all armed factions.

Conditional disarmament  

Iraq’s top judicial official did not mention if the four armed groups have any conditions for their disarmament but some of these groups have linked any such move to the presence of foreign forces in the country. 
When ISIS controlled large swathes of Iraqi territory in 2014, Baghdad called for international support. The United States formed a global coalition whose mandate in Iraq’s federal areas ended in September. However, under an agreement with the Iraqi government, the multinational coalition may keep troops in the Kurdistan Region for an additional year.

The prominent Shiite politician Ameri told Rudaw on Wednesday that they will not accept the dissolution of the PMF, adding that there is an “Iraqi decision” for the disarmament of armed groups but linked it to the withdrawal of the coalition forces from Iraq. 

“The religious authority [the Marja] affirms that weapons must be restricted to the hands of the state, and we believe in restricting weapons to the hands of the state. We had a condition that this should come after the end of the mission of the global coalition. Therefore, first, the global coalition must clearly and explicitly end its mission. They committed to this and said they would end the mission of the global coalition in September 2025, and today we are at the end of 2025 and the global coalition is still present. Therefore, first, they must commit to ending the mission of the global coalition in Iraq,” he said. 

“Restricting weapons to the hands of the state is the responsibility of Iraqi political forces and the Iraqi government, and the religious authority has emphasized this issue. However, our condition is the end of the global coalition’s mission and the achievement of full national sovereignty. At that point, the government’s task begins, and everyone will cooperate with the government in restricting weapons to the hands of the state. As for now, and without that, we will not accept it,” he added. 
 
In late December, Qais al-Muhammadawi, deputy commander of Iraq’s Joint Operations Command, told Rudaw that the US-led coalition against ISIS has effectively concluded its mission in federal Iraq, with remaining coalition forces now based in the Kurdistan Region.

Saad Saadi, a politburo member of the Sadiqoon Bloc, told Rudaw on Wednesday that the issues of restricting weapons to the hands of the state “goes back to the directives of the religious authority, as well as strengthening confidence in the Popular Mobilization Forces and the security forces, and the need to further develop and equip them, alongside supporting the political process and backing state institutions and building them properly within a constitutional and legal framework.”

He added that any attempt by foreign countries to intervene in the process must be prevented, given that this is an “Iraqi decision.”

A senior official from the Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada told Rudaw on the condition of anonymity that they have no plans to lay down arms. 

“The issue of handing over weapons is not on the table, and we have not held any discussions on this matter,” he said. 

Kataib Hezbollah, a powerful pro-Iran militia group which has been designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, is among groups openly rejecting disarmament. 

“Resistance is a right, and its weapons remain in the hands of its fighters… any understanding with the government will only take place after the withdrawal of all occupation forces, NATO, and the Turkish army,” Kataib Hezbollah said in a statement on Saturday.

US Congressman Joe Wilson on Sunday strongly criticized Zidan for thanking armed factions for cooperation on limiting weapons to the state.

Wilson claimed that Zidan is “corrupt” and said his behavior “does not reflect the conduct of a state institution nor that of a neutral judiciary.”

“Instead, it clearly shows a communication channel and an ongoing relationship between the judiciary leadership and militia factions,” he said. “An independent judiciary does not thank armed groups for following its advice nor assess their political or military actions. Such conduct is completely outside its constitutional role.”


Contributions to this article were made by Malik Mohammed in Erbil and Ziyad Ismail in Baghdad.

 

• SHARE ON
• Share on Facebook
• Share on Twitter
• Share on Whatsapp
• Share on Telegram
• Share on Viber
• Share on Messenger