Ammar Al-Hakim backs state weapons monopoly

Shafaq News- Al-Muthanna/ Baghdad

Ammar al-Hakim, head of the al-Hikma Movement, reaffirmed on Wednesday his support for consolidating weapons authority in state hands, describing the policy as a constitutional and legal obligation that admits no reversal.

Unlike several other members of the Coordination Framework, the al-Hakim Movement does not operate or sponsor an armed faction.

The Coordination Framework, the umbrella grouping of Iraq's main Shiite political forces, agreed Monday to authorize Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Ali al-Zaidi to take all measures necessary to safeguard the country's supreme national interests, announcing its backing for the state weapons monopoly project, and calling for severing the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) from all political, partisan, and social affiliations.

Read more: Kataib al-Imam Ali armed faction orders weapons handed to Iraqi state

Regarding filling the nine portfolios in al-Zadi’s government, al-Hakim said that the Iraqi political parties are currently conducting intensive consultations to fill the remaining cabinet seats, with an emergency parliamentary session under consideration as a mechanism to finalize the vote.

Read more: US vetoes armed faction participation in Iraq’s new government