Sadr Integrates Saraya al-Salam into Iraqi State Security Apparatus

Muqtada al-Sadr has ordered the full integration of his Saraya al-Salam militia into the Iraqi state security structure, a move aimed at consolidating national authority. Prime Minister Ali Zidi welcomed the decision, which initiates the formal process of transferring the group's weaponry to state control. This development has intensified pressure on other armed factions within the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) to clarify their status and alignment with the central government. The integration process is viewed as a critical step toward strengthening Iraqi sovereignty and reducing the pretexts for foreign interference in domestic security affairs. Responses among other paramilitary groups remain divided following the announcement. While the spokesperson for the Martyrs Brigades, Kadem al-Furtosi, explicitly rejected the surrender of his group's arms, Asaib Ahl al-Haq has signaled an attempt to navigate a middle ground. The transition of PMF-affiliated militias into formal state security institutions remains a central challenge for the Iraqi government. Proponents argue that this consolidation is essential to establishing a monopoly on force and stabilizing the country's long-term security landscape.