Zaidi Sets 2027 Deadline for Iraq's Militia Disarmament Amid Airspace Disputes

The end of the US-led anti-ISIS military mission in Iraq on September 30 has not ended the presence of American aircraft in the country, according to a count by the Islamic Resistance in Iraq. The umbrella group of Iran-backed militias states it has recorded 171 instances of US fighter jets and reconnaissance planes entering Iraqi airspace between September 30 and Friday. The allegations have not been independently verified, but they have intensified friction between Baghdad and the armed factions it seeks to integrate.

Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi is using this transitional period to push for a comprehensive disarmament plan. His goal is to place all non-state weapons under the control of the Iraqi government by June 30, 2027. In an interview with Iraqi state media quoted by Rudaw, Zaidi stated that by that date, "no weapons will remain outside the framework of the state." He described the aim as creating a state where weapons are held exclusively by Iraqi security forces, similar to other nations.

The initiative faces a split among the militias. Kataib Hezbollah and Harakat al-Nujaba remain opposed to the disarmament drive. In contrast, Harakat Ansar Allah al-Awfiya and Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada have expressed willingness to cooperate with the government's measures. The IRI has also criticized the Iraqi government for yielding to US pressure, citing the reduction of commercial flights and the closing of border crossings with Iran as evidence of appeasement.

Washington has simultaneously tightened its travel guidance for the region. On Saturday, the US Embassy in Iraq updated the State Department travel advisory, maintaining the warning against all travel to Iraq. The update cited increased threats from Iranian-backed Houthis and noted that Houthi strikes on Saudi Arabia, including civilian airports, could spark wider regional escalation. The advisory warned that the Iraqi government cannot guarantee the safety of US citizens against sudden outbreaks of violence.

The State Department specifically identified threats from armed groups inside Iraq, including ISIS and Iran-aligned militias. It noted that these groups use drones, indirect fire, and improvised explosive devices to target US persons and interests. Potential targets listed in the advisory include airports, energy infrastructure, hotels, and diplomatic facilities. The department also warned that terrorists encourage attacks against American citizens and international companies operating in the country.

Regional tensions extend beyond Iraq's borders. On Saturday, the US National Intelligence Director Jay Clayton sent a memorandum to Secretary of State Marco Rubio warning of advanced Iranian plots to assassinate American diplomats. The US is reducing staffing at several embassies in response. Meanwhile, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps reported an attack on a PJAK gathering center in Iran, with clashes against the group's armed wing intensifying over the past week.

Zaidi reiterated his government's commitment to ending the presence of armed factions operating outside state control. In the same interview, he said, "Iraq will soon, God willing, be a state free of factions, like other countries in the world." The plan is set to take effect by June 2027, a deadline that now hangs over the negotiations between the state and the various militia factions.