Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani has said state control over weapons is a top priority of his government.
“The issue of weapons outside the state’s control has been one of the most important on the government’s agenda,” he said.
In an interview with The National and other foreign media outlets on the sidelines of a conference marking an International Day of Democracy, Mr Al Sudani said Iraq has been taking “real steps” to co-ordinate with armed groups through dialogue, even before the formation of the government.
He said this has set an example for future policies as Iraq heads into national elections on November 11.
Iraq is home to Iran-aligned militias formed after the 2003 US invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein. Since the Israel-Gaza war erupted in 2023, and was followed by a 12-day war in Iran, they have periodically attacked US forces and launched rockets and drones at Israel, operating outside of state control.
The US on Wednesday designated four Iran-backed Iraqi militia groups – Harakat Al Nujaba, Kata’ib Sayyid Al Shuhada, Harakat Ansar Allah Al Awfiya and Kata’ib Al Imam Ali – as foreign terrorist organisations.
The groups are affiliated with Iraq's Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), a state-recognised coalition of militias created in 2014 to fight ISIS, but operate outside it, and have carried out attacks against US forces in Iraq and Syria.
Mr Al Sudani said there would be no reason for armed groups not to surrender their weapons after the withdrawal of the US-led coalition against ISIS.
“The political agreement, following negotiations, to disarm armed groups will take effect once the international mission ends and authority is handed over," he said.
The multinational coalition, created in 2014 after the extremist group seized large parts of Iraq and Syria, is set to end its mission this month, with the remaining US troops scheduled to leave by the end of 2026.
It is intended that the mission will turn into a bilateral security partnership, but details on what this would entail are yet to be revealed.
Iran-backed groups have long used the presence of foreign troops in Iraq to justify keeping their weapons.
“Those who have weapons could either join the army or enter politics,” after surrendering their weapons, said Mr Al Sudani, who is seeking a second term.
The presence of US troops in Iraq, which Washington has also used to counter Iran’s influence, has been a burning issue in Iraqi politics.
The US has kept about 2,500 troops in Iraq despite ISIS being defeated there in 2017, and about 900 in Syria, where the group’s last stronghold fell in 2019.
Mr Al Sudani said he saw no reason for foreign troops to remain on Iraqi soil. With the end of battlefield fighting against ISIS and the country’s newfound stability, the continued presence of coalition forces is akin to an “occupation”, he said.
“2025 is not 2014,“ he added.
Some experts have expressed concern about a possible revival of ISIS, whose sleeper cells still carry out attacks, but Mr Al Sudani denied there were security risks. “The end of the mission shows that our security forces can defend our country,” he said.
“Iraq is capable of defending its stability and its territory.”
While affirming his “trust in the US”, he said the presence of its troops on Iraqi soil had now become a source of destabilisation for Baghdad, as they have increasingly become targets of Iran-backed militias.
Balancing act
Mr Al Sudani has faced a difficult task in controlling the PMF, which has become a major political and military power since its creation.
It was formally recognised as part of Iraq’s security forces in 2016, under the command of the prime minister, but its groups continue to act independently, often launching attacks without prior co-ordination with the government.
The task grew harder as regional turmoil deepened amid escalating Iran-Israel tensions, making US troops in Iraq an even more strategic asset, with Washington reportedly using its bases there to down rockets and drones fired at Israel.
This has forced Mr Al Sudani's government into a balancing act between the US, which he described as a “trusted partner in both security and economic matters” and the PMF, with whose support he took office in October 2022 after a year of political deadlock following the 2021 election.
Iraq's government has recently withdrawn a draft law widening the powers the PMF from parliament under pressure from the US.
The US said the law could have undermined Iraq’s sovereignty and reinforced Iranian influence.
Electoral race
For the upcoming polls, Iraq’s sixth parliamentary election since the 2003 US-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein’s regime, Mr Al Sudan is contesting as part of the “Reconstruction and Development Coalition”, a political alliance
He has gained the support of some, but not all, PMF elements, including its chairman, US-sanctioned Falih Al Fayyadh, who is part of his coalition. The PMF is not monolithic, and its myriad groups do not necessarily share the same stance.
The election is expected to be fiercely contested, although some political actors are calling for a boycott over allegations of corruption and vote buying. These include independent candidates as well as established figures such as Moqtada Al Sadr, a popular Shiite cleric who has refused to take part, citing a “paralysed electoral process”.
“It was a personal choice, but we were hoping he would participate,” Mr Al Sudani said.
To win the elections, Mr Al Sudani is notably banking on major infrastructure projects, including the renovation of Baghdad's centre and the construction of Iraq's first tramway in the capital, which have drawn him support among parts of the electorate.
But continuing electricity cuts, a lack of job opportunities and unequal access to services remain among Iraqis' top grievances that many say have largely gone unaddressed.
But Mr Al Sudani remains optimistic, stressing the government is working to secure the elections. "And we consider that there will be a peaceful exchange of power,” he said.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl
Power: 153hp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 200Nm at 4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Price: Dh99,000
On sale: now
Film: In Syria
Dir: Philippe Van Leeuw
Starring: Hiam Abbass, Diamand Bo Abboud, Mohsen Abbas and Juliette Navis
Verdict: Four stars
The years Ramadan fell in May
Like a Fading Shadow
Antonio Muñoz Molina
Translated from the Spanish by Camilo A. Ramirez
Tuskar Rock Press (pp. 310)
THE SPECS
Engine: 3.6-litre V6
Transmission: nine-speed automatic
Power: 310hp
Torque: 366Nm
Price: Dh200,000
Skoda Superb Specs
Engine: 2-litre TSI petrol
Power: 190hp
Torque: 320Nm
Price: From Dh147,000
Available: Now
BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Saturday
Borussia Dortmund v Eintracht Frankfurt (5.30pm kick-off UAE)
Bayer Leverkusen v Schalke (5.30pm)
Wolfsburg v Cologne (5.30pm)
Mainz v Arminia Bielefeld (5.30pm)
Augsburg v Hoffenheim (5.30pm)
RB Leipzig v Bayern Munich (8.30pm)
Borussia Monchengladbach v Freiburg (10.30pm)
Sunday
VfB Stuttgart v Werder Bremen (5.30pm)
Union Berlin v Hertha Berlin (8pm)
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Specs – Taycan 4S
Engine: Electric
Transmission: 2-speed auto
Power: 571bhp
Torque: 650Nm
Price: Dh431,800
Specs – Panamera
Engine: 3-litre V6 with 100kW electric motor
Transmission: 2-speed auto
Power: 455bhp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: from Dh431,800
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
Analysis
Members of Syria's Alawite minority community face threat in their heartland after one of the deadliest days in country’s recent history. Read more
Bareilly Ki Barfi
Directed by: Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari
Starring: Kriti Sanon, Ayushmann Khurrana, Rajkummar Rao
Three and a half stars
Best Academy: Ajax and Benfica
Best Agent: Jorge Mendes
Best Club : Liverpool
Best Coach: Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool)
Best Goalkeeper: Alisson Becker
Best Men’s Player: Cristiano Ronaldo
Best Partnership of the Year Award by SportBusiness: Manchester City and SAP
Best Referee: Stephanie Frappart
Best Revelation Player: Joao Felix (Atletico Madrid and Portugal)
Best Sporting Director: Andrea Berta (Atletico Madrid)
Best Women's Player: Lucy Bronze
Best Young Arab Player: Achraf Hakimi
Kooora – Best Arab Club: Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia)
Kooora – Best Arab Player: Abderrazak Hamdallah (Al-Nassr FC, Saudi Arabia)
Player Career Award: Miralem Pjanic and Ryan Giggs
The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
THE DETAILS
Director: Milan Jhaveri
Producer: Emmay Entertainment and T-Series
Cast: John Abraham, Manoj Bajpayee
Rating: 2/5
Ant-Man and the Wasp
Director: Peyton Reed
Starring: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas
Three stars
The schedule
December 5 - 23: Shooting competition, Al Dhafra Shooting Club
December 9 - 24: Handicrafts competition, from 4pm until 10pm, Heritage Souq
December 11 - 20: Dates competition, from 4pm
December 12 - 20: Sour milk competition
December 13: Falcon beauty competition
December 14 and 20: Saluki races
December 15: Arabian horse races, from 4pm
December 16 - 19: Falconry competition
December 18: Camel milk competition, from 7.30 - 9.30 am
December 20 and 21: Sheep beauty competition, from 10am
December 22: The best herd of 30 camels
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Cryopreservation: A timeline
- Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
- Ovarian tissue surgically removed
- Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
- Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
- Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
