Iraq Orders Iran-Backed Militias to Disarm Within Three Months

The spokesperson for the Iraqi government announced on Monday, June 29, 2026, that armed groups in the country have been given a three-month deadline to surrender all their weapons to state institutions.

Haidar al-Aboudi, the Iraqi government spokesperson, stated on Monday that October is the final deadline for armed groups to hand over their weapons to the government. He added that the withdrawal of the US-led international coalition will also take place on the same date.

Setting a deadline for disarming armed groups is described as part of the Iraqi government’s efforts to strengthen the authority of the central government and reduce the influence of armed factions aligned with the Islamic Republic. Concurrently, the conclusion of the mission of the international coalition, which has been present in Iraq since 2014 to combat ISIS, is also scheduled for the same date.

Meanwhile, this decision is viewed as a positive step by Turkey, as Ankara has for years expressed concern over the activities of armed groups outside the control of the Iraqi government, particularly those close to the Islamic Republic. Nevertheless, Turkish officials have announced that they will closely monitor the implementation of the disarmament process to see whether this action will be genuinely carried out or merely limited to restructuring and renaming these groups.