Iraq shuts down 71 fake PMF offices as weapons registration drive expands

The Iraqi Interior Ministry has announced the shutdown of 71 counterfeit Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) offices as part of a broad campaign to regulate weapons across the country. The PMF, a state-backed paramilitary group with ties to Iran, was integrated into Iraq's security apparatus in 2016 following its pivotal role in the fight against ISIS.

However, concerns persist about factions operating outside state control, with some linked to attacks on diplomatic missions and US interests. The PMF maintains that the shut offices had no affiliation and were run by individuals falsely claiming PMF status. The closures were undertaken by the PMF's General Directorate of Security and Discipline, under the supervision of the Permanent Committee for Weapons Control.

Maj Gen Miqdad Miri, head of the Interior Ministry's Relations and Media Department, informed a press conference that the committee overseeing the weapons-control campaign also shut down 119 expired arms caches and shops. This committee, formed under a 2018 National Security Council resolution, established a national database containing information on six million firearms in Iraq, a task expected to be completed by 2030.

Over 500,000 firearms have been registered through citizen applications, and more than 160,000 permits for firearm possession have been issued. The committee has confiscated 21,224 firearms, tracked over 143,000 stolen weapons, and transferred more than 55,000 firearms from civilian ministries to the Interior Ministry. The campaign has also encompassed weapons held by various security and tribal groups, as well as seized firearms from security agencies.

Authorities have logged 9,000 seized firearms and recorded 277,278 firearms handed over by coalition forces. The committee's jurisdiction extends to bladed weapons, fireworks, hunting weapons, and other arms, with 324 fireworks-related injuries recorded in 2025. Maj Gen Miri urged Iraqis to register their weapons before December 31, warning that failure to do so could result in legal repercussions.