Iraq Parliament to Push for Reintroduction of Conscription After 19 Years of Abolition

Iraq Government: "Necessary to Respond to IS Terror Threat"
Military Service for Men Aged 18-35 for 3 to 18 Months

[Asia Economy Reporter Bang Je-il] The Iraqi parliament is pushing to reintroduce conscription for the first time in 19 years. According to AFP on the 7th (local time), a conscription bill targeting men aged 18 to 35 is scheduled to be reviewed in the Iraqi parliament on the 8th.

Conscription in Iraq was abolished in 2003. In 2021, there was an attempt to introduce conscription in Iraq, but the bill failed to pass due to political turmoil surrounding the formation of the cabinet.

The main reason for the push to reintroduce conscription in Iraq is the terrorism by remnants of the Islamic extremist armed group Islamic State (IS). Since IS declared the establishment of the Islamic State in 2014, it controlled about one-third of the territories of Iraq and Syria, effectively ruling millions of residents in a quasi-state form, until it was defeated in March 2019 by Kurdish militias in Syria and the Iraqi army, supported by the United States and others.

IS remnants carry out ambushes against Kurdish militias or government forces in Syria and sporadic terrorist attacks in Iraq and other areas. According to a UN report, about 10,000 IS members are active in Iraq and Syria.

The conscription bill under discussion divides men by age group and educational level and requires mandatory military service for 3 to 18 months. Yasser Iskander Watout, a member of the parliamentary defense committee, explained, "It is expected to take about two years from the passage of the bill to the actual conscription." He added, "Those serving will receive allowances worth 600,000 to 700,000 dinars (about 560,000 won), and men who are only sons or responsible for their family's livelihood may be exempt."

Iraqi parliament member Sikfan Sindy stated in an interview with local media, "Although we have declared victory in the fight against IS, conscription is necessary because the threat of terrorism by its followers still exists."