Iraq prime minister rejects extension of International Coalition presence beyond 30th September

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi has rejected a proposal to extend the presence of some International Coalition forces in Iraq beyond 30th September, government spokesperson Haider al-Aboudi said on Monday.

“The prime minister rejected a proposal to extend the presence of some International Coalition forces beyond 30th September,” al-Aboudi said, according to the Iraqi News Agency (INA). He added that the government was closely monitoring regional developments and that “Iraq will not be part of the conflict.”

Al-Aboudi said the withdrawal process was proceeding smoothly, including the transfer of sites previously used by Coalition forces to Iraqi security forces.

He described 30th September as a significant milestone for Iraqi sovereignty and said the date was expected to mark the complete end of the International Coalition’s presence on Iraqi territory.

OPINION: Iraq is negotiating away its militias’ guns. It is not negotiating away their impunity.

The spokesperson also addressed government efforts to bring all weapons under state control, saying authorities were continuing measures to regulate the possession and use of weapons and centralise security decision-making.

Al-Aboudi said the issue was a priority under the government’s program and was essential to strengthening national sovereignty and restoring the state’s exclusive authority over the use of force.

He said the Iraqi constitution authorizes the official armed forces to exercise that authority and prohibits the establishment of armed formations operating outside legally recognised security institutions.

The government is continuing discussions with armed factions over the issue, al-Aboudi said, describing the talks as positive and indicating that the government aims to conclude the process before 30th September.

He characterised the period as a transitional phase based on cooperation and said government decisions regarding armed groups and the coalition withdrawal would be guided by Iraq’s national interests.

READ: Iraq says Sept. 30 coalition withdrawal will mark ‘historic transformation