Iraqi Interior Minister Abdul-Amir al-Shammari on Monday inaugurated a production line in Baghdad for armored vehicles by the country’s Defence Industries Commission (DIC).
“The interior ministry has many contracts with the commission and some are for armored vehicles. In the contract, we have ordered 250 armored vehicles. Today, we are receiving the first batch, which is 50 [vehicles],” Shammari told Rudaw’s Ziad Ismail.
“We have other contacts for manufacturing weapons, cameras, and other products,” he added, saying these developments would significantly aid in combating terrorism.
The ministry in a statement highlighted the importance of the DIC’s contracts, which aim to "strengthen the ministry's resources" and support the Iraqi security forces.
In September 2019, the Iraqi parliament passed a bill to form the commission, citing basic military self-sufficiency and to preserve national security.
Though the country is currently mostly dependent on the import of arms from the United States and other countries, Iraq has had prior experience manufacturing light weaponry and the modification of Russian missiles.
In September, Iraqi politicians raised concerns over US provisions of Howitzer artillery to Kurdish Peshmerga forces, saying that the constitution only permits the Iraqi army to access such weapons, and the weapons could be used in internal conflicts. US and Kurdish officials have said the artillery helps to ensure the defeat of the Islamic State (ISIS).
Iraqi and Peshmerga forces have since formed joint brigades and launched joint operations against ISIS to secure disputed areas which are claimed by the federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).
