Assad Intelligence Archive Sparks Controversy in Iraq
Archive image of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad shaking hands with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani in Damascus (X)
A recent visit to Damascus by Izzat al-Shabandar, the special envoy of Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, has stirred political tensions in Baghdad amid speculation that he was handed sensitive intelligence files from the Syrian regime.
The trip, which included a meeting with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, has drawn criticism from within Iraq’s Coordination Framework, with some figures accusing the prime minister of using the visit to obtain the so-called “Assad intelligence archive” for political leverage ahead of parliamentary elections set for November.
The archive is believed to contain compromising material on Iraqi political and paramilitary figures, some of whom opposed Saddam Hussein’s regime or supported Bashar al-Assad during the Syrian civil war. Reports suggest that such information could be used in electoral rivalries.
Al-Sudani’s coalition, the Reconstruction and Development Alliance, has denied any such intentions. Coalition member Abdulhadi al-Saadaoui dismissed the rumors, stating: “The prime minister has no need for such tactics, especially given his broad popularity and growing support across Iraq.”
Since Assad’s fall in late 2024, speculation has grown around the fate of Syria’s intelligence files. Critics, including MP Youssef al-Kilabi, claim they could be exploited to damage opponents. Al-Kilabi alleged in a post on X that the archive had been handed to an Iraqi guest by former Syrian leader Abu Mohammad al-Julani.
Shabandar responded in a post of his own, saying he respected those who offered reasoned criticism, but dismissed what he called “electronic flies and stray dogs barking for their masters,” suggesting political motives behind the backlash.
US Engaged in Shuttle Diplomacy between Lebanon, Israel to Salvage the Negotiationshttps://english.aawsat.com/arab-world/5307002-us-engaged-shuttle-diplomacy-between-lebanon-israel-salvage-negotiations
US Engaged in Shuttle Diplomacy between Lebanon, Israel to Salvage the Negotiations
Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri receives Issa and Clearfield (National News Agency)
Head of the Military Coordination Group for Lebanon (MCG4L) US General Joseph Clearfield met on Friday with top officials in Beirut as part of follow up efforts with Lebanon and Israel on the military aspect of the framework agreement signed between the two countries in June.
The United States has been trying to broker an end to fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, which has raged since March in parallel with the wider US-Israeli war against Iran.
The June agreement says the Lebanese army will gradually restore control over all of Lebanon, disarming Hezbollah.
The first phase began in two pilot zones. The talks did not, however, produce an agreement on the next area from which Israeli troops would withdraw so that Lebanese troops could take control.
Clearfield, US Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa and the accompanying military delegation, visited on Friday Speaker Nabih Berri in Ain el-Tineh.
The discussions, which were attended by Berri’s Media Advisor Ali Hamdan, touched on the situation in southern Lebanon, as well as the Group’s work in light of the start of identifying the pilot areas and establishing a mechanism to verify the Israeli withdrawal and the deployment of the Lebanese Army.
Berri stressed that "Israel has not ceased its violations and attacks against Lebanon and the south since November 2024,'' adding that the attacks have continued systematically, involving the destruction of villages, bulldozing of fields and agricultural areas, and the burning of forested areas, "not to mention targeting heritage sites and cultural heritage."
Berri said that "the key to stability remains compelling Israel to halt its war and withdraw to the international borders."
Asked about the talks between Lebanon and Israel and the date of the next round, Ambasssador Issa said: "The negotiations will continue, but no date has been set yet."
The US delegation also visited Prime Minister Nawaf Salam at the Grand Serail to discuss the military aspect of the negotiation framework and developments in southern Lebanon.
Salam stressed the need for Israel to halt its destruction operations, expand the scope of the pilot zones, and establish a clear timetable for Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam receives Issa and Clearfield (National News Agency)
Previous rounds of talks had focused on the sequence of the Israeli withdrawal, the deployment of the Lebanese Army, and the verification mechanism, without reaching a decision on moving to a new area. Issa reiterated this point on Friday, stating that defining the status of the current areas must precede discussions about other areas.
Shuttle Diplomacy Between Beirut and Tel Aviv
Friday's meetings were part of a shuttle diplomacy conducted by Clearfield between Beirut and Tel Aviv to follow up on the implementation of military arrangements.
Clearfield arrived in Beirut on Wednesday from Tel Aviv, where he had held talks with Israeli officials.
In the Lebanese capital, he met with President Joseph Aoun and Army Commander General Rodolphe Haykal before departing again for Tel Aviv later that afternoon. He returned to Beirut on Friday.
During that stop in Beirut, Clearfield discussed measures related to implementing the framework agreement and developments in southern Lebanon, at a time when the implementation process continues to face issues related to the Israeli withdrawal, the deployment of the Lebanese Army, the verification mechanism, and the transition to additional pilot areas.
Iraq Steps Up Anti-Corruption Campaign, Detains Electricity Ministry Officialhttps://english.aawsat.com/arab-world/5306992-iraq-steps-anti-corruption-campaign-detains-electricity-ministry-official
Iraq Steps Up Anti-Corruption Campaign, Detains Electricity Ministry Official
PM Ali al-Zaidi Visits the Border Ports Authority. Photo: Iraqi Prime Minister Media Office
An Iraqi Commission of Integrity (COI) force arrested on Friday a deputy minister at the Ministry of Electricity on suspicion of involvement in financial violations, as Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi ordered tighter oversight of border crossings and stronger efforts to combat corruption and smuggling.
The official Iraqi News Agency reported on Friday, citing a security source in Salahuddin province, that a COI force arrested Khalid Ghazai Attiya, Deputy Minister of Electricity for Transmission and Distribution Affairs, over alleged violations that are currently under investigation.
The source did not disclose the nature of the violations or details of the case, saying legal procedures against the detained official are being conducted in line with the law.
Neither the Commission nor the Ministry of Electricity issued an official statement regarding the arrest or the charges against Attiya.
The arrest comes as the Iraqi government continues its anti-corruption drive and efforts to recover public funds. The first phase of the campaign, launched on June 28 under the name "Operation Dawn Strike," targeted politicians, members of parliament, and business figures.
Government sources had previously stated that legal procedures for the campaign's second phase had been completed. The new phase is expected to focus on corruption cases in the health, oil, and electricity ministries, while also tracking funds and properties inside and outside Iraq and compiling new lists of suspects.
Border Crossings
In a related development, al-Zaidi instructed the Border Ports Authority during a visit to its headquarters in Baghdad on Friday to operate under a self-financing system through tax and customs revenues, with fees deducted before transfers are processed.
He also directed that all border crossings be linked to a unified electronic system, that daily reports on operations and revenues be submitted, and that the automation project for border crossings be accelerated to reduce fraud, corruption, and manipulation.
Al-Zaidi said that fighting corruption at Iraq’s border crossings will be a top priority, with the government planning tougher measures.
Drug and medicine smuggling, attempts to evade regulatory authorities, and other forms of trafficking pose serious threats to Iraqi society, he said, warning that those involved would face government action.
The government is also reviewing a draft law aimed at scrutinizing the sources of wealth of public officials.
Meanwhile, COI said that arrest warrants are being executed under judicial supervision as part of efforts to pursue those involved in corruption and recover public funds.
Assad-era Officer Convicted in Austria Reportedly Returns to Syria a Free Manhttps://english.aawsat.com/arab-world/5306975-assad-era-officer-convicted-austria-reportedly-returns-syria-free-man
Assad-era Officer Convicted in Austria Reportedly Returns to Syria a Free Man
A man cycles past heavily-damaged and destroyed buildings in the Jobar suburb northeast of Damascus on August 12, 2026. (Photo by LOUAI BESHARA / AFP)
A former Syrian security officer sentenced to prison in Austria for abusing detainees during Bashar al-Assad’s rule left the country while appealing against his sentence and returned to Syria earlier this month, according to four sources and messages reviewed by Reuters.
Lieutenant Colonel Musab Abu Rukba was handed an eight-year prison sentence last month by a Vienna court that found him guilty of bodily harm, aggravated coercion and sexual assault against detained opponents of Assad while he headed the police's criminal investigations department in the city of Raqqa more than a decade ago.
The Syria Justice and Accountability Center, a Syrian human rights organisation, said the case exposed shortcomings in the Austrian judicial system after authorities allowed Abu Rukba to remain at liberty throughout proceedings and while challenging his prison sentence on appeal.
Abu Rukba had pleaded not guilty. In early August, he arrived in his hometown of Nawa in southern Daraa province, where his family held a reception to celebrate his return, the four sources familiar with the case said.
The invitation said he had been granted "release from prison," according to a message sent to local dignitaries and seen by Reuters.
A spokesperson for the Austrian court that convicted him told Reuters on Friday that ahead of the trial, he was found not to pose a flight risk because he had been living in Austria since 2014 and was seeking asylum there along with his family.
He was not remanded in custody during the trial and was also not subject to other restrictions. Until the appeals process is included, his departure from Austria does not constitute a breach of any Austrian laws or rulings, the spokesperson said.
“The escape of a lieutenant colonel accused of torture, sexual coercion and serious bodily harm demonstrates a failure by the Austrian authorities to assess the danger posed by this defendant and their failure to place him in pre-trial detention,” Mohammad al-Abdallah, executive director of the Syria Justice and Accountability Center.
Syria’s new authorities have pledged to hold former Assad officials accountable for abuses committed during his rule. A Syrian court on Tuesday sentenced Assad to death in absentia for killings, torture, arbitrary arrest and crimes against humanity. The ousted leader fled to Russia in December 2024.
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