Iraq’s state media has republished the country’s anti-terrorism law, warning that armed groups operating outside state authority after Sept. 30 will face legal action as security forces move to a heightened state of readiness.
The Iraqi News Agency (INA) said the measure follows decisions taken during a meeting of the State Administration Coalition, which reaffirmed the government’s timetable for restricting weapons to official state institutions.
According to INA, any armed activity outside the state’s authority after the deadline will be dealt with under Iraq’s Anti-Terrorism Law, as part of efforts to strengthen the rule of law and preserve security and stability.
Separately, the Security Media Cell announced that the commander-in-chief of the armed forces had ordered security and military units to raise their level of combat readiness. The directive includes training exercises and troop movements aimed at maintaining preparedness across the country.
The developments come as tensions persist between the Iraqi government and some Iran-aligned armed factions over plans to place all weapons under state control.
Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi has set Sept. 30 as the deadline for armed groups to disarm, coinciding with the planned withdrawal of US forces from Iraq.
While several groups operating under the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) have responded positively to the government’s plan, others, including Kata’ib Hezbollah, Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada and Harakat al-Nujaba, have publicly rejected the move.
The latest measures also come days after the Islamic Resistance in Iraq (IRI), an umbrella group of Iran-aligned factions, issued its own ultimatum to Iraqi authorities, setting Aug. 7 as a deadline for the government to clarify its position on disarmament.
