Iraq cannot disarm PMF by force, foreign minister says

By Ikram Kouachi

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said Sunday that the government cannot disarm the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) by force.

"The timing of introducing the PMF bill was wrong,” Hussein said in a televised interview cited by local media.

The Iraqi parliament is discussing a bill aimed at regulating and restructuring the PMF, also known as Hashd al-Shaabi.

It comes after a Lebanese government decision to disarm non-state groups, including Hezbollah group, and restrict weapons to state control following US pressure.

"Hezbollah's weapons cannot be withdrawn in Lebanon except through dialogue," Hussein said.
“The Iraqi government cannot withdraw the PMF weapons by force."

The PMF was originally formed on June 14, 2014, as a volunteer force supporting Iraqi security forces in the fight against the Daesh/ISIS terror group. It was formally incorporated into Iraq’s armed forces by a government decree in July 2016.