Iraq
Iraqi National Security Advisor Qassim al-Araji (left) and Supreme Judicial Council President Faiq Zidan (right) in a meeting in Baghdad on December 24, 2025. Photo: Qasim al-Araji/Facebook
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The national security advisor of Iraq said on Wednesday that hundreds of Iraqis are participating in the Russia-Ukraine war and that a government committee has been formed to bring them home.
Qassim al-Araji said the committee was established by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani and includes representatives from relevant institutions to follow up on the issue of Iraqis fighting in the conflict.
According to a statement from the Supreme Judicial Council, its head Faiq Zidan met with Araji on Wednesday, along with members of the committee, to discuss “addressing the situation of Iraqis involved in the ongoing fighting in Ukraine.”
Nearly four years have passed since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war, which has resulted in hundreds of civilian casualties. With US mediation, diplomatic efforts to end the conflict have intensified, though prospects for a breakthrough remain uncertain.
There is no accurate data available on how many Iraqis are on the battlefields participating in the Ukraine-Russia war.
“Iraqi penal law punishes with imprisonment anyone who joins, in any way, the armed forces of another country without the approval of the Iraqi government,” Zidan said, according to the statement.
Araji said the Supreme Judicial Council supports the committee’s work and that several important meetings will be held soon to “save our youth from death, whose numbers reach hundreds of people.”
He said that the committee has already held several meetings and submitted recommendations, adding that “the Prime Minister has approved the recommendations.”
Araji said legal action would also be taken against networks involved in recruiting Iraqis to fight abroad. “Legal measures will be taken against all those involved in the process of recruiting Iraqis,” he said.
Russia currently controls about 19.2 percent of Ukrainian territory.
The United States has proposed a peace initiative, and high-level talks between US and Russian officials took place in Moscow in early December. US President Donald Trump confirmed that White House envoy Steve Witkoff and adviser Jared Kushner met Russian President Vladimir Putin for nearly five hours.
In discussions with Washington over a potential framework to end the war, Moscow has repeatedly demanded full control over all Ukrainian territories it currently occupies.
Yehor Cherniev, deputy chairman of Ukraine’s National Security, Defense and Intelligence Committee, told Rudaw in early December that Kyiv rejects any peace agreement that would require Ukraine to cede territory. He said Russia is pressing its military advantage and “is not negotiating in good faith.”
Malik Mohammed contributed to this report.
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