Kirkuk / Anadolu

- Citizen Yasser Maarouf: This step is one of the most important measures taken by the government.

- Journalist Firas al-Hamdani: The uncontrolled use of weapons has harmed Iraq's stability.

- Merchant Mardan Amin: We want the weapons to fall silent and people to live in safety.

- Businessman Khattab Akamgji: Providing a safe environment will encourage trade, investment, and economic growth.

Residents of the Iraqi city of Kirkuk expressed support for the measures launched by the government to restrict weapons to state authority, implementing the directives of Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi.

Several citizens interviewed by Anadolu said that the spread of weapons outside the state framework has caused numerous security problems over many years, stressing the need to limit carrying weapons to official security forces.

Citizen Yasser Maarouf considered this step to be one of the most important measures taken by the government.

Maarouf expressed his hope that everyone who possesses a weapon would take the initiative to hand it over to the nearest police station or register it legally.

- A step towards enhancing security

For his part, journalist and writer Firas al-Hamdani said that one of the main causes of violence and conflicts witnessed in various Iraqi regions over the past two decades is the spread of unlicensed weapons.

Al-Hamdani added that the random use of weapons, particularly by armed groups, has contributed to entrenching a negative culture associated with arming.

He affirmed that the uncontrolled use of weapons has harmed Iraq's stability at both the individual and collective levels.

He considered that the Ministry of Interior's project aimed at placing weapons under state supervision would significantly contribute to enhancing security and stability.

- "We want the weapons to fall silent"

In turn, merchant Mardan Amin said that the spread of weapons outside the state framework has caused suffering for thousands of Iraqis over many years.

Amin added: "We want the weapons to fall silent and people to live in safety, and therefore we want weapons to be only in the hands of security forces."

As for businessman Khattab Akamgji, he affirmed that achieving development and prosperity in Iraq is primarily linked to consolidating security and stability.

Akamgji mentioned that providing a safe environment will encourage trade, investment, and economic growth.

On June 3, the spokesman for the Commander-in-Chief of the Iraqi Armed Forces, Sabah al-Numan, announced the formation of a committee to restrict weapons to state authority, confirming that it has begun its work.

The issue of weapons outside the state framework is one of the most prominent security and political challenges in Iraq, given the existence of armed factions, some of which are under the umbrella of the 'Popular Mobilization Forces,' and others operating independently.

The Iraqi government seeks to restrict weapons to state authority and strengthen the authority of security institutions, as part of its efforts to consolidate internal stability and avoid the repercussions of regional tensions.