9 hours ago
Kataib Hezbollah: weapons of the people remain their safeguard
Shafaq News – Baghdad
The Secretary-General of Kataib Hezbollah, Abu Hussein al-Hamidawi, called for 'the highest level of readiness' to face any threat, as both Iraq and Lebanon face mounting pressure to disarm powerful armed groups.
His statement on Friday, issued during the Arbaeen pilgrimage commemorating the third Shia Imam Hussein bin Ali, came hours after Hezbollah's Secretary-General in Lebanon, Naeem Qassem, vowed the movement 'will never hand over its weapons' and would 'fight until death' against Israel.
In Iraq, the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) have also come under renewed pressure, with parliament unable to pass legislation regulating the PMF's authority due to what officials describe as US opposition.
Al-Hamidawi linked the disarmament push to wider regional developments, citing 'the fall of the Syrian government to terrorist factions led by al-Jolani [currently Syrian transitional president Ahmad al-Sharaa],' a 'US-Israeli' assault on Yemen, and a 'treacherous' campaign against Iran. He accused international institutions of acting under 'Zionist and Masonic' influence.
'Resisting occupation and deterring aggression is a legitimate right guaranteed by laws and faith,' he said, adding that weapons are 'the shield for defending land, people, and religious sites.'
Al-Hamidawi urged strengthening arsenals with advanced weapons, improving technical capabilities, and raising both defensive and offensive readiness 'to meet any threat.'
'The weapons of people remain their safeguard.'
The Kataib Hezbollah leader also reaffirmed that supporting 'the oppressed' is a core mission, naming the Palestinian cause as central and pledging readiness to 'cleanse our holy sites from the defilement of the Zionists.'
