Shafaq News- Washington
The US backs Iraq's efforts to place all weapons understate control, a senior White House official told Shafaq News on Friday,describing the move as central to the country's stability and future.
“The U.S. stands with Iraqi efforts to fully realize theirpotential as a force for stability, prosperity and security in the MiddleEast,” he added, warning that Iranian influence could still undermine Baghdad’sability to pursue its national interests.
Earlier this week, Iraqi security officials set out thefirst practical steps toward integrating armed factions into the state'ssecurity framework, beginning with the transfer of facilities and weaponsbelonging to Saraya al-Salam, the armed wing of Muqtada al-Sadr's PatrioticShiite Movement.
The move is part of a broader government drive toconsolidate weapons under state authority, backed by the ruling ShiiteCoordination Framework (CF), which recently endorsed Prime Minister Alial-Zaidi's plans to restructure relations between armed groups and the state.
Both Asaib Ahl al-Haq and Kataib Imam Ali have previouslyintroduced measures aimed at reorganizing their forces and aligning them withthe government's weapons-control initiative. Harakat al-Nujaba (HAN), Kataib Hezbollah and Ashab al-Kahf, however, have rejected any calls fordisengagement.
: How the US pushed Iraq's armed factions toward disarmament, and who is still pushing back