The Iraqi government is studying the possibility of Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein carrying out an official visit to neighboring Syria amid a debate over openness towards Damascus’ new rulers.
In televised remarks, Hussein said Syria’s stability will directly impact Iraq’s security, warning that some 10,000 to 12,000 ISIS members are held in jails run by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
The extremists will be a threat to Iraq’s security should they be released, he warned, calling for bolstering international border cooperation to combat the terrorist group.
Hussein revealed that communication is “ongoing” with Syria’s Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani even though no official visit has been scheduled for him to head to Damascus.
Hussein had held talks recently with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan on the situation in Syria and ISIS’ threat.
Meanwhile, member of the Kurdistan Democratic Party’s politburo and former FM Hoshyar Zebari stressed that it was in “Iraq’s interest to positively deal with the situation in Syria”.
In a post on the X platform, he noted that chaos in Syria will directly threaten Iraq.
Moreover, he criticized the Iraqi government for delaying contacts with the new authorities in Syria, in contrast to other Arab countries, specifically Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Palestine, Lebanon, Oman and Bahrain.
Head of the State of Law coalition and former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki had a different view, warning against remnants of ISIS and the dismantled Baath party.
“They are fuel for strife that threatens the accomplishments of the Iraqi people after they got rid of the dictatorship,” he told tribes in Karbala.
He warned of attempts to “circumvent the political process and of the possibility of the Syria scenario taking place in Iraq.”
“Iraq is a stable and democratic country despite some violations that we must be careful of,” he added.
Maliki also warned against “sectarian figures and Baathists” who were operating to undermine security. “As long as we are here and as long as we hold the weapons, then they will be sorry,” he stated.
Iraqi PM Mohammed Shia al-Sudani told Fidan last week that Baghdad refuses for Syria to become an “arena for conflict” and that it was working on consolidating stability there.
