The process of restricting weapons to state control has entered a practical phase, with Saraya al-Salam becoming the first armed faction to relinquish its military wing and integrate into official Iraqi institutions.

Disarmament Process Begins in Samarra

Today, Saraya al-Salam forces at their main headquarters in the city of Samarra began practical preparations to hand over their weapons to the Iraqi government.

The force, which includes three brigades within the structure of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), is the first armed group to comply with the government's disarmament initiative.

Al-Sadr’s Decision and the One-Week Deadline

This historic transition follows an announcement made on May 26 by Muqtada al-Sadr, Shia cleric and leader, to formally separate the military wing from his political movement.

Al-Sadr gave Saraya al-Salam a one-week deadline to completely sever its ties with the movement, surrender its entire weapons arsenal, and fully integrate into the official ranks of Iraq’s security forces.

From Formation to Dissolution

Saraya al-Salam was established on June 11, 2014, one day after ISIS seized vast areas of Iraq.

While the group's primary mission was to protect holy religious shrines, it is now being dissolved by al-Sadr’s decision after 12 years of operation in order to be integrated into official state military institutions.

Implications for Government Policy and Stability

The agenda of Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s government is focused on ensuring that weapons remain exclusively under state control.

Experts believe al-Sadr’s move not only opens the door to greater acceptance of Baghdad by Washington but also places significant pressure on other factions within the Coordination Framework to abandon their own armed wings, providing a strong boost to Iraq’s stability.

Terms of the Disarmament Agreement

According to the agreement between the government and the armed groups, the process consists of several stages, including documenting heavy weapons inventories, severing the ties between PMF brigades and political groups, and changing the names of brigades associated with specific factions.

In return, the government has committed to enacting a retirement law for fighters and allocating military positions to their members within the official institutions of the state.