Iraq’s prime minister has given armed factions until June 30, 2027 to disarm. Many of these groups are backed by Iran. Who are they and why does Baghdad want their weapons?

The factions include Kataib Hezbollah, Harakat al-Nujaba and Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada. They rose as militias fighting the Islamic State. They kept their weapons after the war, saying they protect Iraq from foreign forces.

Baghdad says only the state should decide war and peace. The groups’ arsenals challenge that principle. The government argues the US-led coalition’s withdrawal removes their reason to stay armed.

The main holdouts reject the timeline. Kataib Hezbollah says it reached no deal and wants fresh talks. An umbrella group, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, says it is not bound by any government deadline. The first 90 days will be a freeze on attacks. Then factions must surrender weapons or join state forces. Baghdad will also work to disarm all non-Iraqi armed groups on its soil, the premier said.