ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The integration of members and weapons of the Saraya al-Salam armed group, affiliated with prominent Iraqi Shiite cleric and politician Muqtada al-Sadr, into state control has begun, a senior Iraqi security official confirmed. The move comes just over a week after Sadr announced the faction’s compliance with the Iraqi government’s efforts to bring paramilitary groups and their arms under state authority.
“The complete data related to the formations of Saraya Al-Salam have been received, including information on personnel, weapons, and equipment,” Lieutenant General Qais al-Muhammadawi, deputy commander of Iraq's Joint Operations Command (JOC), told the state-run Iraqi News Agency (INA).
He added that efforts are currently underway to complete “the integration of all Saraya Al-Salam formations into the security forces under the authority of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces,” Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Iraqi premier ordered the formation of a committee to oversee the implementation of measures aimed at bringing all arms under state control.
The move is in line with the Iraqi constitution and existing laws, a statement from Zaidi’s office said, noting that it aims to “strengthen state authority, support security and stability, and reinforce the establishment of a strong Iraqi state capable of fulfilling the aspirations of its citizens.”
Muhammadawi noted that the committee formed by Zaidi is working “continuously and in full coordination with the formations of the Popular Mobilization Forces [PMF], the defense and interior ministries, and the relevant legal authorities” to implement Zaidi’s initiative.
The push to integrate Saraya al-Salam comes just over a week after Sadr announced a “total and absolute separation” of the armed faction from the National Shiite Movement he leads, as well as “their full integration into the state.”
Sadr said the move was driven by his commitment to the “public interest of the homeland” and the need to avert the “imminent dangers threatening our country.”
Founded in 2014, Saraya al-Salam is widely regarded as the successor to the Mahdi Army, which fought US-led coalition forces following the overthrow of Saddam Hussein’s Baathist regime in 2003.
Sadr’s move came in line with a pledge made by Zaidi in his inaugural address to the Iraqi parliament in mid-May, when the newly appointed premier vowed to pursue security reforms, including by “confining weapons under state control.”
Zaidi also pledged to enhance the capabilities of the security forces and strengthen citizens’ “confidence in democracy.”
