Members of the Iraqi armed group Kataib Hezbollah attend the funeral of their members (Reuters)
Zaidi pledged after meeting US President Donald Trump at the White House in July to disarm the powerful militia groups by September 30, according to Reuters. Several of these factions are also part of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), an umbrella of armed groups formally incorporated into Iraq’s security forces in 2016 and placed under the authority of the prime minister. In 2016, Iraq formally recognised the PMF as part of the country’s armed forces, placing it under the authority of the prime minister.
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi is facing growing pressure to disarm the Iran-backed Shi’ite militias, with several groups resisting efforts to hand their weapons to the state. The standoff is creating a difficult security and political challenge for the Iraqi government as tensions between Iran and the United States continue to shape the region. The date also coincides with the planned withdrawal of the remaining US-led international coalition forces from Iraq. Their political and military influence makes any attempt to forcibly disarm them a difficult challenge for Baghdad. However, the force brought together groups with different loyalties, and some of its most powerful factions have maintained close ties with Iran and significant autonomy.
From October 1, Iraq is expected to enter a new phase of security cooperation with the United States without the existing coalition military presence.
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi has described September 30 as the “fixed and final” date for ending the coalition’s military mission and completing the departure of its forces.