Alwaght- Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said on Saturday that terrorism has been defeated militarily in the country adding that the next phase is ideological elimination of terrorism.
Abadi made the remarks during his speech at the opening ceremony of the sixth edition of International Defense Exhibition held in the capital Baghdad. The four-day exhibition was held on the spot of Baghdad International Fair in the west-central part of the capital, with the participation of 18 countries and more than 70 weapons production companies.
"Terrorism has ended militarily, and we must eliminate its ideologies and its sectarian methodology. The weapons that we need now is not for war, but for peace and reconstruction," al-Abadi said.
He also vowed to support Iraqi security forces so they can continue their mission to uproot the sleeper cells of ISIS terrorists.
"Iraq has special needs for its security, and we have expertise in combating terrorism and eliminating it," the Iraqi prime minister noted.
Al-Abadi also defended his decree to formally incorporate pro-government fighters from the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) into the Arab country’s security service, stressing that such a move would help establish security and stability.
He stated that the integration of the volunteer forces, better known by the Arabic name Hashd al-Sha’abi, “preserves the identity of security forces.”
Al-Abadi added that the move now meant that only members of state bodies could legally possess firearms.
According to the decree announced on Thursday, PMF fighters will be granted many of the same rights as members of the military.
The decree added that PMF fighters would be given equivalent salaries to those members of the military under the Ministry of Defense’s control.
On Dec. 9, 2017, Al-Abadi officially declared full liberation of Iraq from ISIS terrorists after Iraqi forces assisted by PMF recaptured all the areas once seized by the Takfiri extremist group.
However, small groups and individuals of ISIS terrorists have since melted in urban areas or turned to deserts and rugged areas for safe havens, carrying out attacks from time to time against security forces and civilians.
