Iraq's uneasy quest to disarm militias turns into public opinion battle on television and social media
The husband storms towards his wife, angry that their son Humaid, a militia fighter, refuses to hand over his weapon to the government. “He thinks life is all about war,” the man tells her. The mother responds with a question that goes to the heart of the country’s long-running debate over Iran-backed militias: “Then who will protect the country?” The dramatic scene, part of a wider media…
In Iraq, a government campaign to disarm militias enters a public opinion battle through television and social media. A televised scene shows a father urging his son, a militia fighter, to surrender his weapon, with the phrase "From weapons to life" appearing on screen. The government demands the disarmament of Iran-aligned militias by September 30 deadline, but some powerful groups still refuse.
After a US-led air strike on Iranian-backed militias killed 20 fighters, hardline factions have become more defiant, demanding the disarmament of peshmerga and the departure of Turkish forces from the north. Despite warnings of civil war, the government remains committed to disarmament, with the PMF security apparatus releasing arrested militia members as a show of good faith.
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