Iraq's Al-Nujaba reiterates opposition to disarmament
Shafaq News- Baghdad
Harakat al-Nujaba (HAN), an Iran-aligned Iraqi armed faction, on Wednesday reaffirmed its rejection of disarmament, distancing itself from a broader initiative under which several armed groups have begun taking steps toward transferring weapons and integrating members into state institutions.
In a statement, the movement, designated a terrorist organization by the United States in 2019, stressed that its position on the "disciplined sacred weapon" remains unchanged, saying it was established to defend Iraq, its people, and its holy sites.
It also referred to earlier remarks by Secretary-General Akram al-Kaabi, who described comments by the US embassy's chargé d'affaires in Iraq regarding the weapons of the "resistance" as the result of "direct incitement" by Israel.
Al-Kaabi had expressed regret that some Iraqis had become, in his words, a "mouthpiece" for such positions, and called on armed factions to reject any discussion of disarmament, arguing that Iraq's sovereignty remains compromised by ongoing and overt foreign interference.
— الشيخ اكرم الكعبي (@Akram_Alkabee) May 6, 2026
Earlier today, a political source told Shafaq News that around 35,000 members of Iraqi armed factions are set to be absorbed into state security and military institutions in exchange for surrendering their weapons, describing the proposal as a major step that could reshape Iraq's armed landscape.
The initiative builds on earlier integration measures, including the absorption of roughly 15,000 members of Saraya al-Salam, the armed wing of Muqtada al-Sadr's Patriotic Shiite Movement. Asaib Ahl al-Haq (AAH) and Kataib Imam Ali have also established internal committees tasked with transferring weapons, personnel, and equipment to state authorities. However, Ashab al-Kahf has rejected calls for factions to surrender their weapons, while Kataib Hezbollah has backed efforts to centralize arms under government oversight while signaling it would not disarm.
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