Iraqi President: Armed factions cease activity amid government intervention
Shafaq News/ Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid announced on Friday the cessation of armed factions' activities in Iraq following governmental efforts while expressing concerns over terrorist groups along the Syrian border.
In an interview with Sky News Arabia, Rashid said, "We hope US President Donald Trump, as he has expressed multiple times, will work to end wars in the region and the world. Resolving disputes between countries benefits not just the region but all global populations."
Discussing Syria, Rashid stated, "We support the aspirations of the Syrian people. We've made repeated attempts to assist, offering advice to former President Bashar al-Assad. Unfortunately, these opportunities for resolving Syria's crisis were not utilized."
The president emphasized Iraq’s hopes for positive change in Syria. “We wish for democratic developments that protect the Syrian people, reject foreign interventions, and ensure the participation of all components in governance," he said.
Rashid also highlighted serious steps taken to secure Iraq’s borders with Syria, citing fears of terrorist groups. "We've submitted several proposals to address these concerns. We hope Ahmed Al-Shara's efforts will benefit all Syrians," he added. Rashid stressed the importance of resolving disputes with Kurdish-led forces, noting, "The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are a significant part of Syria, and meetings between SDF leader Mazloum Abdi and Ahmed Al-Shara offer hope for positive outcomes."
Addressing ties between Iraq’s federal government and the Kurdistan Region, Rashid linked oil-related issues to the lack of a unified oil and gas law, hoping parliament will pass the law to resolve these disputes.
In addition, the Iraqi President praised progress in infrastructure and services across Iraq, stating, "Developments in the Kurdistan Region and southern provinces are encouraging. These advances are tied to security and stability, which attract investors from Europe, China, Britain, the US, and Arab countries."
On armed groups, Rashid clarified, "Most factions consider themselves part of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), which is a legitimate body under parliamentary law. Their activities have ceased, following government advice, and pose no threat within Iraq."
The president criticized foreign interventions, particularly Turkiye’s in Iraq and Israel’s in Lebanon. "Our relations with Iran are strong, and we’ve seen no military interference from them," Rashid added. "Iraq values its independence above all, as enshrined in our constitution."