Baghdad: Iraq's Joint Operations Command announced that a government committee has received personnel records and completed an inventory of weapons and vehicles from the Imam Ali Brigades group. This move is part of a broader initiative to separate armed factions from the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) and integrate them into Iraq's official security institutions.
According to Anadolu Agency, the command's statement, as reported by the Iraqi News Agency (INA), highlighted that the committee's efforts align with the government program backed by Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi and endorsed by parliament. Lt. Gen. Qais al-Muhammadawi, who oversees the committee, managed the handover process in the presence of committee members and brigade leaders. The files and records included details about personnel, weapons, equipment, and vehicles previously managed by the Imam Ali Brigades.
The command expressed that this step is aimed at facilitating the completion of integration and restructuring efforts. These efforts include the elimination of separate organizational names and formations, reinforcing the government's commitment to maintaining all weapons and armed groups under state authority and control.
The Iraqi military initiated this process on June 3, focusing on restricting weapons to state control. Authorities have outlined mechanisms for integrating relevant formations into the security forces and managing the transfer of weapons, equipment, and military camps to Iraqi security institutions. The separation process from the PMF involves restructuring while ensuring the rights of its members are protected.
Recently, Asaib Ahl al-Haq, a significant Shiite political and military force in Iraq, announced plans to form a committee to disengage from the PMF and place its weapons under government control. The PMF was established in 2014 following a religious decree by Iraq's leading Shiite cleric, Ali al-Sistani, to combat the ISIS/Daesh threat. It was officially integrated into Iraq's armed forces in 2016.
The control of weapons outside state authority continues to be a major security and political issue in Iraq, with some armed groups operating within the PMF framework and others independently. Successive Iraqi governments have committed to enhancing state authority by ensuring that all weapons are controlled by official institutions.