Iraqi PM sets June 30 deadline to disarm groups outside state control

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi announced Thursday that his government will eliminate all weapons outside state control by June 30, 2027, establishing a comprehensive roadmap to assert constitutional authority over military decisions and remove foreign fighters from national territory. The initiative follows "a clear roadmap and agreed timelines," Zaidi said in a statement carried by the official Iraqi News Agency.

The disarmament process will uphold constitutional provisions reserving decisions on war and peace exclusively for legitimate state institutions, effectively prohibiting independent military operations outside official command structures. Baghdad also committed to dismantling armed groups composed of non-Iraqi nationals currently operating within its borders, which Zaidi described as essential to restoring complete sovereignty over national security affairs.

Post-coalition transition

The announcement coincides with the formal conclusion of the international coalition's mission in Iraq, which the prime minister declared effective October 1, 2026. "We congratulate the Iraqi people on this great day, Oct. 1, 2026, and the major national achievement of ending the international coalition's mission in Iraq," Zaidi said.

The June 30 deadline creates a nine-month implementation period following the coalition's departure. Success will depend on Baghdad's ability to consolidate disparate armed factions under unified state command while preventing external actors from maintaining independent military capabilities on Iraqi soil.