Baghdad: Several factions operating under Iraq's officially administered Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) have begun handing over their weapons as part of a government plan to place all arms under state control, an Iraqi security official said Tuesday.

According to Anadolu Agency, Lieutenant-General Saad Maan, head of the Iraqi Security Media Cell, reported that several factions had already initiated the disarmament process, with others expected to follow suit. These actions are part of broader institutional and legal measures designed to integrate armed formations and their members into the state military framework.

Maan emphasized that the initiative is focused on reinforcing the state's authority and upholding the rule of law, ensuring it does not target any specific faction or group. The policy mandates that all weapons outside official state institutions be surrendered, encompassing tribal arms and those not covered under current laws and regulations.

He further noted that the PMF is committed to protecting the rights of fighters from various factions and formations, as well as their families, in accordance with existing legal provisions.

The PMF, established in 2014 following a religious edict by Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, a prominent Iraqi Shia leader, serves as an official security entity formed to combat the Daesh terrorist group.