Iraq arms must be confined to govt’s hands: UN official

By Haydar Hadi

NAJAF, Iraq

Jan Kubis, the head of the UN’s mission in Iraq, said Wednesday that the possession of arms in the war-torn country should be limited to the federal government.

After a meeting in the southern city of Najaf with Ali al-Sistani, Iraq’s leading Shia religious authority, Kubis said that outstanding differences between Baghdad and the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) should be resolved based on the rule of law.

Ties between Baghdad and the KRG have been strained since late September, when the latter held an illegitimate referendum on regional independence.

In the immediate wake of the poll, federal forces moved into several parts of Iraq “disputed” between Baghdad and the KRG, including the oil-rich Kirkuk province.

“All laws must be respected in Iraq,” Kubis told reporters. “We also believe weapons should be confined to the hands of the [federal] government.”

He went on to assert that the UN fully supported the Iraqi government’s ongoing fight against corruption.

“We expect the Iraqi government to take serious steps against corruption and illegal money transfers abroad,” the UN official added.