Security
Senior Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior, Hussein Al-Awadi, announced Monday the imminent handover of the security file in Salah al-Din Governorate. He affirmed the Ministry's aim to register six million weapons in the coming months, as part of broader efforts to place arms under state control. Al-Awadi's statements came during a press conference in Salah al-Din, where he explained his visit aimed at a field assessment of the security situation and meeting with the Governor, who chairs the Supreme Security Committee. They discussed various security details with police and entrusted security leadership. Al-Awadi noted Salah al-Din, having faced terrorism previously, has overcome that chapter, now embarking on reconstruction and development. He stressed that sustainable security is fundamental for such progress. He added that the Ministry prioritizes security, highlighting the importance of repeated field visits for assessment. The foundations of security, he explained, include the judiciary's role, the appeals court president, care for families of the wounded and martyrs, and opening government departments. He affirmed Salah al-Din's pioneering role in supporting its people's security and safety, aiming for sustainable security across the province and Iraq. The security file there, he mentioned, will be fully handed over within weeks or months. In a related context, Al-Awadi clarified the Ministry's focus has shifted from combating terrorism to confronting organized crime, noting tangible progress over 100 days of the current government's term. He reaffirmed the Ministry's commitment to maintaining security in all Iraqi governorates, announcing the handover of the security file to all governorates in the coming months. Regarding state control over weapons, Al-Awadi indicated expectations of over six million registered weapons within months. He stressed that limiting arms to state control is a decisive decision by the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and all government security formations. He affirmed weapons must be exclusively with official security forces, and the government is proceeding with this decision. Concerning the fight against narcotics, Al-Awadi stated Ministry operations have reached internationally, citing recent actions in Saudi Arabia and deep at sea. He explained these qualitative operations, rare regionally, demonstrate the General Directorate for Narcotics Control's cross-border capability. Al-Awadi concluded by affirming the Ministry's continued pursuit of this file with advanced tracking equipment, indicating an imminent qualitative operation to eliminate this scourge.
