‘Serious’ Indications of Possible Assassination Attempts in Baghdad, Other Iraqi Cities

Iraqi security forces walk with their weapons (File photo: Reuters)
Iraqi security forces walk with their weapons (File photo: Reuters)
TT
20

‘Serious’ Indications of Possible Assassination Attempts in Baghdad, Other Iraqi Cities

Iraqi security forces walk with their weapons (File photo: Reuters)
Iraqi security forces walk with their weapons (File photo: Reuters)

Senior security officials have said there were "serious" indications of possible assassinations in Baghdad and other cities, against the backdrop of the ongoing political conflict between Muqtada Sadr's movement and the Coordination Framework.

An Iraqi security source quoted Iraqi officers of the Interior Ministry and the National Security Service as saying that they expected assassination attempts against activists from the Sadr Movement and Tishreen Forces.

Local media circulated a document issued by the Baghdad Operations Command that included information about the intention of armed groups to carry out assassinations. Although it was not possible to verify the authenticity of the text, the security source confirmed the presence of such a document.

Iraqi activists fear the Iraqi government will not be able to deter the murder attempts.

An activist from the Tishreen Movement said that the protest committees in Baghdad and other cities circulated security information about threats to activists, warning them against engaging in a plot to overthrow legitimacy, and working with the Sadrist movement.

However, militants loyal to the Sadrist movement are still launching attacks on the headquarters of the Framework parties, and targeting the homes of leaders of the armed factions.

A Sadrist official said they met with Tishreen officials, but did not agree on unifying any move except for agreeing on the same goals.

The Sadrist movement is trying to pressure the Iraqi government to take quick measures to “dismantle” the armed factions in the Green Zone, and make structural changes in the leadership of the Popular Mobilization Authority (PMA).

A Sadrist spokesman asked Prime Minister Mustafa Kadhimi to remove the head of the Popular Mobilization Forces, Faleh al-Fayyadh.



Iraqi and Syrian Leaders Meet in Qatar, Marking a Significant First Encounter

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani meet in Qatar on Thursday. (Iraqi News Agency)
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani meet in Qatar on Thursday. (Iraqi News Agency)
TT
20

Iraqi and Syrian Leaders Meet in Qatar, Marking a Significant First Encounter

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani meet in Qatar on Thursday. (Iraqi News Agency)
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani meet in Qatar on Thursday. (Iraqi News Agency)

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani met on Thursday in Qatar with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, the first encounter between the two leaders, Iraqi and Syrian state news agencies reported.

The meeting was brokered by Qatar, with Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani present. It came ahead of Sharaa's expected attendance at the Arab Summit in Baghdad on May 17.

In January, Sharaa was named as interim president and pledged to form an inclusive transitional government that would build up Syria's gutted public institutions and run the country until elections, which he said could take up to five years to hold.

Syria issued a constitutional declaration, designed to serve as the foundation for the interim period led by Sharaa. The declaration kept a central role for Islamic law and guaranteed women's rights and freedom of expression.

During Thursday's meeting, al-Sudani called for the beginning of a comprehensive political process and the protection of social, religious, and national diversity in Syria, especially after an attack on Alawites last month.

The Iraqi prime minister also stressed the importance of the new Syrian government taking serious steps to combat ISIS militants.

He said progress made on these issues could help in building growing relations between Baghdad and Damascus.

Both leaders agreed to respect the sovereignty of the two countries and reject all kinds of foreign interference.