Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – The Iraqi Ministry of Interior revealed on Sunday that it received over 10,000 applications from Iraqis requesting to register their firearms during the first week of October.

The step is part of a statewide push to put all armaments under state control.

According to Mohammed Ali al-Hassoun, the ministry’s spokesperson, residents in Baghdad and other provinces submitted 10,222 applications between October 2 and 9.

According to officials, the move demonstrates rising public awareness of the need to limit gun ownership.

Unlicensed guns are often used in tribal confrontations and personal revenge attacks throughout Iraq, weakening the state’s authority over the use of force.

The Iraqi government has initiated a mission to seize all firearms held by tribes and armed organizations. Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi has set June 2027 as a deadline for militias to submit their weapons.

Al-Hassoun said that the ministry maintains its efforts to regulate weapons possession and improve security across Iraqi provinces. He added that the ministry is expediting weapon registration procedures.

The Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior, Hussein al-Awadi, said in September that the government is proceeding with the decision to restrict the possession of weapons exclusively to security forces.

Al-Awadi noted that Iraqi authorities intend to collect up to six million weapons in the coming months.