Iraq seeks to clamp down on gun ownership
Regulating private security companies and proposing laws for possession of weapons are part of Iraq’s new strategy to impose order and the rule of law.
BAGHDAD — Iraq is working to regulate the activities of private security companies and rein in the chaotic circulation and use of weapons.
On Feb. 21, a group of armed tribesmen shot at an Iraqi comedian’s house in Baghdad after he criticized some tribal values in his TV show, "Walayat al-Battikh." Another example of the security chaos is the firing of Katyusha rockets into Baghdad’s Green Zone on Feb. 12, following bloody demonstrations in the capital.
Also, the parliament’s Security and Defense Committee said Jan. 27 that some security companies operating in Iraq were out of control.
To address the security chaos and impose the rule of law, the parliament passed a law Jan. 26 to regulate private security companies. Two days later, the parliament also passed a law on weapon ownership.
