Iraqi Prime Minister Calls for Integration of Armed Groups Under State Control

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Faisal al-Zaidi has formally called for all armed factions to integrate into state security institutions, citing the move as a critical step toward consolidating national stability and centralizing control over weaponry. This appeal follows the decision by Shiite National Movement leader Muqtada al-Sadr to dissolve his Saraya al-Salam militia. Under the new directive, the group has transitioned into a non-militant entity, with its personnel and assets being absorbed into official state institutions. Al-Zaidi praised the move as a significant advancement in the government's efforts to monopolize the use of force. He urged other paramilitary organizations to follow this precedent and align their operations with state authority. Despite the Prime Minister's push for centralization, some factions remain resistant to the policy. Groups such as the Nujaba Movement have argued that state disarmament efforts should only target "uncontrolled" weapons, claiming that their own armaments, which they categorize as "resistance weapons," should remain exempt from these regulations.