Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq's Sinjar Resistance Units (YBŞ) will begin handing over their weapons to the state, Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi said on Friday, bringing Mount Sinjar under the full authority of the government and its security and administrative institutions.

During a meeting with a delegation from the Yazidi Cause Alliance, led by its parliamentary bloc chief, lawmaker Murad Ismail, Al-Zaidi described the weapons handover as part of efforts to strengthen state institutions, unify security decision-making and end the presence of multiple security authorities in Sinjar.

“The government will also protect the rights of YBŞ and Women's Units members by regularizing their status and integrating eligible personnel into Iraq's security institutions under the law,” he added, describing the Yazidi community as an integral part of the country's social fabric.

Read more: Over 110,000 Sinjar residents still displaced after nearly 12 years

He also addressed the crimes and persecution suffered by Yazidis at the hands of ISIS, stressing that the government will continue efforts to secure the community's rights, facilitate the return of displaced people and address the consequences of years of violence.

Read more: A decade of suffering: Yazidis still seeking justice after ISIS atrocities

The State Administration Coalition (SAC), which brings together leading Shiite, Sunni, and Kurdish political forces, has given armed groups until Sept. 30 to submit to government authority. The Coalition also warned that those threatening national security would be treated as “outlaws,” with unauthorized military activity beyond the deadline subject to the Anti-Terrorism Law.

Read more: Iraq's disarmament deadline pits Baghdad against Iran-aligned factions