Shiite politicians in Iraq have accused Ahmed al-Sharaa of ordering an attack on co-religious people during their prior affiliation with al-Qaeda.
Syrian state media reports that Syrian interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa will not attend the upcoming Arab League summit in Baghdad.
Instead, Foreign Minister Assad al-Shabani will lead a Syrian delegation at the summit on May 17, Syrian state-run Evbalya TV channel reported on May 12.
The move comes after Shiite politicians and protesters in Iraq opposed Alshara’s participation, citing prior affiliation with Sunni extremist groups that proliferated in Iraq after the 2003 US-led invasion.
Al-Sharara is the interim president of Syria and leads Hayat Taharil Al-Sham (HTS), an internationally designated terrorist group with ties to previous al-Qaeda.
Late last year, HTS led a turkey-backed rebel attack that managed to overthrow Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s longtime regime.
A month after Assad’s expulsion, rebel leaders were alongside HTS, who appointed HTS as Syrian interim president for an unspecified “transition period.”
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Since then, Alshara has visited and approved severe regional countries such as Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.
In mid-April, he visited Qatar where he met longtime supporters of HTS Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Iraqi Prime Minister Mohamed Al Sudani.
At the meeting, Al Sudani urged Al-Sharaa to ensure the safety of Syrian minority groups, which have been facing an increase in sectarian violence since Assad’s overthrow.
He also called on Damascus to take action against the ISIS terrorist network, which is said to still exist in both Iraq and Syria.
While in Qatar, Al Sudani invited Al-Sharaa to attend this week’s scheduled Arab League summit in Baghdad.
The invitation attracted criticism from Shiite factions in Iraq who accused Al-Sharaa of ordering an attack on Shiite targets during his prior partnership with Iraqi al-Qaeda.
At one point, 57 Shiite lawmakers from Iraq’s 329-seat assembly petitioned Al Sudani to withdraw their invitation, and Al Shara petitioned the bar to attend the summit.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will greet Syrian interim president Ahmad Alshara upon his arrival at the Royal Palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on February 2, 2025. via the AP of Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Media
Protests in Basra
On May 13, Rudo reported that Alshara’s planned participation in the Arab Summit sparked angry protests in Basra province, the majority of Shiites in Iraq.
According to the press, he chanted “No, no Joranni, no Joranni,” at the May 12 demonstration. “No, no, terrorism.”
Alshala, formerly known as Mohamed Al Jorani, fought al-Qaeda in Iraq in 2003 following a US-led invasion and national occupation.
Since being appointed as Syrian interim leader, Alshara has found support among the majority of Sunni regional nations, including Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
However, in the majority of Shiite states, such as Iraq, where Shiite Iran has a considerable influence, HTS and Alsharaah face considerable opposition that has been alongside Tehran from both public and political groups.
In particular, like Washington, Baghdad still does not formally recognize Alshara’s interim government.
In contrast, Sunni politicians in Iraq have expressed support for HTS and Alshara, welcoming the latter’s scheduled attendance at this week’s summit.
In a veiled reference to Iranian-aligned political fact, Raad Al-Daraki, head of the main Sunni bloc of Iraqi parliament, said there is a “element” that attempts to deny Baghdad’s efforts to regain “a legitimate place within the Arab community.”
Reuters contributed to this report.
