Shafaq News- Baghdad
A high-level Iraqi committee will meet leaders of the Shiite Coordination Framework (CF) on Monday evening to discuss mechanisms for regulating armed factions, integrating their members into state institutions, and advancing plans to place all weapons under government authority, a source told Shafaq News.
The source, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the discussions, revealed that the three-member committee is headed by Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Ali Al-Zaidi and includes former Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani and Badr Organization Secretary-General Hadi Al-Amiri.
The meeting is expected to focus on implementing the government's plan, including proposals to redistribute eligible members among ministries and security agencies after reviewing their records. Participants will also consider creating a dedicated security institution to accommodate participating groups, either through a ministry linked to the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) –a predominantly Shiite umbrella force incorporated into the Iraqi state in 2016– or an independent body operating under a defined legal and administrative framework.
Discussions will cover personnel audits, a timetable for implementation, and the issue of “ghost employees,” the source added, noting that funding mechanisms are also expected to feature prominently, including domestic borrowing and potential financing arrangements involving Gulf-based banks. Broader political and economic issues are on the agenda as well, including efforts to fill the remaining vacancies in Al-Zaidi’s cabinet.
Read more: US vetoes armed faction participation in Iraq’s new government
International scrutiny of Iraq’s armed factions has intensified in recent weeks. Reports indicate that Washington opposes their participation in government unless they relinquish their weapons and has called for ending state funding for some groups.
Speaking to Shafaq News, Patrick Clawson, research director at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said the main US concern is ensuring that the PMF does not wield “major influence in the new Iraqi government” and that Iraqi authorities retain full oversight while preventing attacks on US personnel and facilities.
Read more: What does Iraq's new government promise? A guide to Ali Al-Zaidi's ministerial program