Iraq lawmaker says government needs three months to bring arms under state control

BAGHDAD, Iraq — A member of Iraq's parliament's Security and Defense Commission said the government needs roughly three months to bring weapons under state control, describing the effort as negotiations with armed groups rather than a handover of arms to another unit. Ahmed Hüzeyli, a lawmaker on the commission chaired by Hadi Amiri, said the process means placing arms under the army institution led by the chief of staff. He added that the position of some armed groups is tied to the presence of foreign forces in the country and questions of sovereignty. Hüzeyli said some groups have already begun the process of placing their weapons under state control, with relevant commissions working in coordination with the army. He reiterated that September 30 is the firm deadline for the withdrawal of occupation forces, a date he said cannot be undone, and that coordination is underway for the pullout of coalition and Turkish forces present in Iraq. He cautioned that the weapons issue may not be resolved immediately after the coalition withdrawal, noting that two to three additional months will be required after September 30 to complete the integration of all armed groups into the army.