Peshmerga should be brought under Iraqi Commander-in-Chief: Khazali

The 2005 Iraqi constitution allows federal regions in the country, such as the Kurdistan Region, to establish and organize internal security forces “such as police, security forces, and guards of the region,” and the Peshmerga fall under the last category.

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Iraq’s Shiite coalition puts weapons transfer at heart of new government-factions pact

Agreeing on how to define the process is at the top of the agenda in the document being finalized by the four leaders, who have held intense negotiations with Zaidi and his security and military teams on one side and the commanders of the three factions on the other.

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Iraq could face new US sanctions if disarmament of Iran-backed factions fails

“The United States will not view the issue merely as an internal Iraqi political dispute. It may link it to the protection of its interests, the international financial system, regional security, and preventing Iraqi territory and institutions from being used to finance or support armed groups whose leadership does not abide by state decisions,” said Jamal Kocher, a member of the Iraqi parliament’s finance committee.

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Maliki urges avoiding term ‘disarmament’ over its ‘psychological impact’ on factions

“This is another issue being discussed: whether to call it weapons preservation, weapons containment, or weapons confiscation," said Maliki.

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Iraq says US-led coalition withdrawal, arms restrictions progressing smoothly

Regarding the coalition withdrawal, government spokesperson Haider al-Aboudi told state media that "things are progressing smoothly towards achieving this national objective that Iraqis aspire to," adding that September 30 "will witness the complete end of the presence of the international coalition mission on Iraqi soil."

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Postponement, freezes, PMC role: Iraq mulls ideas as militia disarmament deadline nears

“The September 30 deadline will not remain fixed, and proposals for postponement are increasingly becoming a reality,” a source close to the Iraqi government told The New Region.

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Iraqi political forces in ‘complete agreement’ on militia disarmament: Zaidi

Zaidi has been the subject of threatening messages from Iran-backed groups over his efforts to disarm the groups.

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PMF releases Nujaba intelligence chief after alleged counterterrorism arrest

The PMF’s media office said in a statement that Matar was handed over to the PMF “to proceed with his legal case before the judiciary.” However, Nujaba’s media office told The New Region that the PMF had released him.

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Iraq’s Kataib Hezbollah sets conditions for disarmament

A senior official set the complete withdrawal of US forces and “Turkish forces occupying northern Iraq,” as well as the “disbanding” of the Kurdistan Region’s Peshmerga as conditions for the Islamic Resistance in Iraq to engage with the government over handing over its weapons.

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