BAGHDAD: An official invitation to new Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa to attend the upcoming Arab League summit in Baghdad has triggered sharp political divisions inside Iraq. Al-Sharaa took energy after main a lightning insurgent offensive that unseated his predecessor, Bashar Assad, in December. Since then, he has positioned himself as a statesman aiming to unite and rebuild his nation after almost 14 years of civil warfare, however his previous as a Sunni Islamist militant has left many – together with Shiite teams in Iraq – cautious. Previously identified by the nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Golani, al-Sharaa joined the ranks of al-Qaida insurgents battling US forces in Iraq after the US-led invasion in 2003 and nonetheless faces a warrant for his arrest on terrorism prices in Iraq. Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani confirmed final week that Iraq had prolonged a proper invitation to al-Sharaa to attend the Could 17 summit, following a beforehand unannounced assembly between the 2 in Qatar. Al-Sharaa has not confirmed plans to attend. Iraq, which has sturdy ties with each the US and Iran, has sought to place itself as a regional mediator. It hosted talks between regional rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia earlier than they reached a deal to normalize relations. Many Iraqi and regional stakeholders see the invitation to al-Sharaa as a chance to bolster Baghdad’s picture as a hub for regional diplomacy. Nonetheless, sturdy opposition to al-Sharaa’s invitation has emerged from highly effective Shiite factions aligned with Iran. Tehran, which backed Assad in Syria’s civil warfare and used Syria as a conduit to smuggle weapons to the Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon, was extensively seen as the most important loser from Assad’s ouster. A number of Iraqi Shiite militias fought alongside Assad’s forces through the civil warfare that adopted his brutal crackdown on pro-democracy protests in 2011, making al-Sharaa a very delicate determine for them. Mustafa Sand, a member of parliament from the Coordination Framework – a coalition of Iran-allied factions that introduced al-Sudani to energy in 2022 – mentioned in a video posted on X, previously Twitter, that the overseas ministry had reached out to Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council to confirm whether or not an arrest warrant was issued in opposition to al-Sharaa and that the council had confirmed the existence of a sound warrant. A safety official who spoke on situation of anonymity as a result of he was not approved to remark publicly confirmed the existence of the warrant to The Related Press. The Islamic Dawa Get together, led by former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki – probably the most influential figures in Iraq’s ruling coalition – referred to as on the federal government in a press release to “be sure that any summit participant has a clear judicial report, each regionally and internationally,” including, “The blood of Iraqis is just not low-cost, and those that have violated their sanctity or dedicated documented crimes in opposition to them shouldn’t be welcomed in Baghdad.” A spokesperson for the highly effective militia Kataib Hezbollah, Abu Ali Al-Askari, mentioned in a press release, “Arab summits have been held with out President Assad, Iraq, or Libya. They definitely will not cease as a result of the legal Abu Mohammad al-Golani … is not attending.” On the opposite aspect, Sunni political factions have rallied to defend al-Sharaa’s inclusion within the summit. Former MP Dhafir Al-Ani, a distinguished Sunni determine, mentioned he helps Baghdad’s makes an attempt to construct ties with the brand new Syrian authorities. “Stopping his presence could be a stab within the coronary heart of the Iraqi authorities and an indication that violence nonetheless dictates the nation’s destiny,” he mentioned. The Iraqi authorities has not responded publicly to the backlash. A warrant wouldn’t essentially block al-Sharaa from becoming a member of the summit. Different international locations have chosen to waive comparable measures. In December after Assad’s fall, the US mentioned it had determined to not pursue a $10 million reward it had beforehand provided for al-Sharaa’s seize, though Washington additionally has not but formally acknowledged the brand new Syrian authorities. Nonetheless, observers mentioned the controversy highlights deep divisions inside Iraq’s political system and underscores the challenges dealing with nationwide reconciliation efforts. “Some see welcoming al-Sharaa as an insult to the reminiscence of Iraq’s victims, whereas Sunni factions view his participation as a political victory,” mentioned political analyst Munaf Al-Musawi, head of the Baghdad Middle for Strategic Research. “This might threat fueling sectarian tensions.”
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