Iran-Backed Iraqi Faction Rejects Disarmament, Demands U.S. Withdrawal and PKK Expulsion
Katayib Sayyid al-Shuhada, an Iran-aligned Iraqi armed group, has issued a statement rejecting outright disarmament and instead framing the process as a 'reorganization' of arms under government control. This move comes as the Iraqi government faces a September 30, 2026, deadline to bring all armed factions' weapons under state control. The faction, affiliated with the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, has laid out ten conditions for its participation in this process. Key demands include the complete withdrawal of all American forces from Iraq, ensuring no U.S. military presence under any title, and prohibiting Iraqi airspace from being used for attacks on neighboring countries. Additionally, the group calls for the formal approval of a law governing the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) to protect their right to bear arms, strengthening Iraq's air defense systems under exclusive Iraqi decision-making, and the complete and permanent expulsion of PKK fighters from Iraqi territory to end Turkish military operation... 
