Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba Rejects Disarmament, Vows to Expand Arsenal

Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba declared on Monday that it would not surrender its weapons, reiterating its adherence to what it termed “the resistance weapon” and stating its intention to develop its military capacities and expand its arsenal.

Clash with State Arms Consolidation Policy

This position directly contradicts the Iraqi government’s policy of consolidating all armed authority under state institutions. The government is advancing a phased plan to bring all armed factions under formal oversight, including the reorganization of militia structures and the centralization of all weapons within official security bodies.

A specialized government committee supervises the implementation of this initiative. Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi has affirmed on multiple occasions that the state remains committed to executing the plan without deviation. Over recent months, the government has initiated formal talks with several armed factions to align their status with the requirements of the new phase.

First Explicit Rejection Amid Accelerated Timeline

The statement from Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba marks the first explicit public refusal by an armed faction to relinquish its weapons since the government intensified its efforts on the arms consolidation file. It underscores the challenges confronting the state’s initiative, given the divergent stances among armed groups—some engaging in dialogue and agreeing to reorganization, others opposing any interference with their military stockpiles.

The announcement follows closely on reports issued by the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) Headquarters, which confirmed the deaths of 20 PMF personnel and injuries to 32 others after airstrikes struck PMF-affiliated facilities across several Iraqi provinces.

Deadline Looms for Core Phase Completion

The government’s deadline to complete the foundational stage of the arms consolidation project falls on 30 September. Baghdad views this date as pivotal for concluding the armed factions file and formally integrating these groups into official frameworks.