Iraq's weapons 'buyback' scheme to bring arms ownership under state control nears completion

A state-led plan to control unregulated arms in Iraq by buying them from citizens is nearing completion after nearly two years, although some are pointing out that its success has been "limited".

In January 2024, Iraq's interior ministry launched its "weapons under state control" initiative, which involved setting up 697 weapons purchasing centres as part of a buyback scheme and the establishment of the "Ur" digital platform to facilitate the registration of personal firearms.

The initiative followed two decades in which the Iraqi government had grappled with the issue of widespread arms possession among civilians in the country.

So far, the ministry has not disclosed specific figures or quantities of weapons collected under the plan.

Brigadier General Ziyad al-Qaisi, the official spokesman for the National Committee for Arms Regulation and State Control at the ministry, said there were no plans to extend the registration deadline, which ends on December 31.

He told Al-Sabah daily on Wednesday: "Any weapon not registered by that date will be considered illegal and will be confiscated from its holder, with all applicable legal measures enforced".

He explained that penalties would vary depending on the type of weapon and may include fines or imprisonment in accordance with Iraqi weapons control laws.

According to al-Qaisi, the number of citizens registering their weapons had increased as the deadline neared, noting that "the registration process takes place through the Ur electronic portal, where a citizen enters their personal data, after which a specialised unit visits their home to receive the weapon, inspect it, and then return it after it has been officially registered".

He urged everyone to "register their weapons before the deadline to avoid legal accountability".

However, the state-led initiative has revealed the complexity of the issue of arms proliferation in Iraq, as armed groups outside state authority still retain large arsenals that far exceed what has been purchased from citizens.

Another interior ministry official, who spoke to The New Arab's Arabic-language sister edition on condition of anonymity, said the plan had "fallen short of expectations" and pointed out that despite the government having allocated a large budget for the weapons buyback scheme, rates had been "low".  

In his view, "many citizens prefer to keep their weapons for various reasons, including fears of security threats".

He also pointed out that "political parties, armed factions, and influential tribes haven't cooperated with the government on this issue: according to the information available to us, they refuse to give up their weapons".

He believes that following the initiative's deadline, the government must "launch search campaigns to confiscate weapons and hold all violators accountable, regardless of their affiliations".

Civil rights activist Saad al-Hashimi said that while the government's "plan reflected its desire to end the phenomenon of uncontrolled weapons' ownership, it had encountered social and security-based obstacles, as well as a strong attachment to these weapons".

He explained that "the existence of armed groups outside state authority reduced citizens' confidence in the wisdom of giving up their weapons, which they see as necessary to protect themselves in the current circumstances".

He also pointed out that "citizens have the right not to hand over their weapons when factions, parties, tribes, and others still possess them," emphasising that security needed to be "placed exclusively in the hands of the state, before the process moves toward confiscating citizens' weapons".

Unregulated weapons ownership in Iraq remains one of the biggest obstacles to establishing security and stability in the country.

Most weapons remain in the hands of militias, armed groups, and tribes, while many Iraqis insist on keeping firearms in their homes - part of a culture that emerged after the US-led invasion of the country, amid a security vacuum and the need for civilians to defend themselves from thieves and potential assaults.

This is an edited translation from our Arabic edition.