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Iraqi Resistance faction links arms to sovereignty, questions US exit

By Al Mayadeen | September 24, 2026

Weapons are tied to Iraqi sovereignty, Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada spokesperson Sheikh Kazem al-Fartousi said Thursday, arguing that they exist to defend the country and establish deterrence.

Speaking to Al Mayadeen Plus, al-Fartousi said, “If you provide sovereignty to Iraq, then there is no need for weapons.”

He said the group had put forward 10 points that would guarantee Iraqi sovereignty, stressing that the proposals serve Iraq’s interests rather than those of the factions.

Al-Fartousi questions US withdrawal from Iraq

Addressing the US presence in Iraq, al-Fartousi said its continuation, alongside US control over political decision-making, the economy, and oil sales, constitutes a clear violation of Iraqi sovereignty.

He also stressed that the presence of Turkish forces and armed members of Turkish Kurdish opposition groups in Iraq was a violation of the country’s sovereignty.

Al-Fartousi expressed doubts about the US withdrawal from Iraq, saying that the US side was speaking about needing additional time.

In this context, he revealed information indicating that large numbers of US forces have returned to the Ain al-Assad base in Iraq 10 days ago.

Warning over possible political mobilization

Recent reporting has likewise placed the future of foreign forces and armed factions’ weapons at the center of discussions in Iraq, with some factions linking any weapons arrangements to the restoration of full Iraqi sovereignty.

Al-Fartousi also warned Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi about “a street movement being prepared with US support to overthrow the government.”

The remarks come as Baghdad approaches the September 30 deadline for the end of the remaining US-led Coalition mission, while discussions over bringing weapons under state authority remain unresolved.

Iraq forms new committee amid transformation in relations with coalition

Spokesperson for the Commander-in-Chief of the Iraqi Armed Forces, Sabah al-Numan, announced earlier this month that Commander-in-Chief and Prime Minister Ali Falih al-Zaidi has directed the formation of a committee to determine the form of the relationship with the international coalition based on the principle of reciprocity.

Al-Numan said, “The relationship with coalition countries will transition to integration and cooperation after September 30 of this year,” reaffirming that September 30 is the final date for the withdrawal of American forces from Iraq.

He said the timing is “a culmination of Iraqi sovereignty and a beacon for the capabilities of the security forces in the national security file and the protection of sovereignty.”

Al-Numan revealed that the country is witnessing an acceleration in the withdrawal of foreign forces within the international coalition, noting that “the office of the Commander-in-Chief has provided facilities.”

The spokesperson stressed the authority’s determination to restrict weapons to the state, saying, “We will not allow the existence of any weapon outside the framework of the state.” He explained that “the process of organizing weapons is proceeding according to the vision of the Iraqi government and has a political and legal framework” and noted that “after September 30, dialogues will accelerate in order to resolve the weapons file.”

September 24, 2026 - Posted by aletho | Wars for Israel | Iraq, Turkiye, United States, Zionism