(CLO) The Iraqi government is considering military intervention in Syria, especially when the Sunni Muslim rebel group originating from the Al Qaeda terrorist organization has captured two Syrian cities and is advancing towards a third city.
Iraq, which has a Shiite Muslim majority, has a complicated history with Sunni militants in Syria. Thousands of Sunni militants crossed into Iraq after the 2003 US invasion, engaging in sectarian attacks. They returned in 2013 under the name of the Islamic State (IS), which has seized a third of Iraq.
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which leads the rebel coalition, is an offshoot of Al Qaeda and has ties to IS. It says it has no ambitions in Iraq, but Iraqi officials are skeptical of those claims.
Iraq has assembled a large number of fighters from the regular army as well as the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), a militia group that previously fought in Syria. However, according to sources, so far the Iraqi government's directives are only to protect the western part of Iraq, not to intervene in support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
However, the calculations could change depending on the situation, especially if rebels capture Syria's other major city of Homs or if President Assad is toppled.
Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein speaks during a news conference alongside Syrian Foreign Minister Bassam Sabbagh and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, in Baghdad, Iraq, December 6. Photo: Reuters
Iraqi government spokesman Bassem Al-Awadi has insisted that Iraq is not seeking military intervention in Syria, but has also called the division of Syria a “red line” for Iraq. Despite reports of hundreds of Iraqi fighters joining President Assad’s forces, there has been no large-scale military mobilization from Iraq.
The Iraqi government, led by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, has tried to avoid being drawn into the worsening regional conflict that has followed the Gaza war, focusing instead on rebuilding after years of war. However, PMF leader Falih al-Fayadh has warned that the situation in Syria cannot be completely ignored as instability in the neighboring region could affect Iraq's security.
Iraq, led by a coalition of Shiite parties and pro-Iranian militias, is now a key element in Tehran's "Axis of Resistance," along with Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon. With these forces weakened by Israeli strikes, some analysts say the seasoned fighters in Iraq's armed forces could be key to intervening in Syria.
While some groups that fought alongside Mr Assad and have interests in Syria want to rejoin, others fear the intervention will cause further instability. Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein met with Syrian Foreign Minister Bassam Sabbagh and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi in Baghdad, condemning the attacks by “terrorist entities” in Syria and pledging support for Syria.
Syriam rebel leader Abu Mohammad al-Golani, who began his fighting career with Al Qaeda in Iraq before moving to Syria, has called on the Iraqi government to stop intervening in Syria, saying the group wants strategic and economic ties with Iraq after toppling President Assad's regime.
Ngoc Anh (according to AJ, Reuters)
Source: https://www.congluan.vn/lo-so-khung-bo-lon-manh-tro-lai-iraq-can-nhac-dua-quan-vao-syria-post324554.html
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