Asaib Ahl al-Haq Joins the Call to Place Weapons Exclusively Under the Authority of the Iraqi State

2nd June 2026

2 minutes read

Asaib Ahl al-Haq Joins the Call to Place Weapons Exclusively Under the Authority of the Iraqi State

The Iraqi movement “Asaib Ahl al-Haq” announced on Tuesday the formation of a central committee tasked with severing its organizational ties with the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) and ensuring that weapons remain exclusively under state control.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the movement said: “In line with the call of the Supreme Religious Authority, in response to the national position expressed by our brothers within the Coordination Framework, and in affirmation of the statement made by the Secretary-General of Asaib Ahl al-Haq, Sheikh Qais al-Khazali, on December 13, 2017, regarding the separation from the Popular Mobilization formations and the restriction of arms to the state, the leadership of Asaib Ahl al-Haq has decided to begin implementing this direction through the establishment of a central committee chaired by Jawad al-Talibawi.”

The statement explained that the committee will be responsible for completing all requirements and procedures necessary to implement the decision, including conducting a full inventory of personnel, weapons, vehicles, equipment, and all logistical assets, and placing them under the authority of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, in accordance with the requirements of the state and its security institutions.

Last week, Iraqi Shiite cleric and leader of the Sadrist Movement, Muqtada al-Sadr, announced the separation between his political movement and its armed wing, “Saraya al-Salam,” placing the armed formation under the authority of the Iraqi state within official security institutions. The move is widely regarded as a significant political signal supporting the efforts of Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi to regulate armed factions and ensure that weapons remain solely in the hands of the state, amid increasing domestic and international pressure—particularly from the United States—to address the issue of weapons held outside official institutions.

Observers believe that al-Sadr’s step may also carry political dimensions aimed at putting pressure on rival factions close to Iran. He has repeatedly criticized those groups, accusing them of operating outside the framework of the state and undermining Iraqi sovereignty.

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi announced that the government has established an executive mechanism to ensure that weapons remain exclusively under state control, confirming that the process of collecting weapons from armed factions will begin in the coming days as part of a government program aimed at strengthening state authority and reinforcing security and stability.