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Middle East Eye
12-03-2025
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
Iraq investigates attacks on Syrian workers
The Iraqi government announced on Wednesday that it was opening an investigation into the recent attacks on Syrian workers in the country. Syrians in Iraq have reportedly been subjected to attacks by local armed groups over the past few days for their alleged support of Syrian interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa and his rebel group-turned-ruling party, Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham. Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani called the attacks a 'shameful act of violence'. "The law will be fully enforced against anyone involved in these attacks," he said in a statement. A Shia group calling itself the "Ya Ali Popular Formations" released a video showing its members going after a number of Syrian workers in Iraq and beating them. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters The video shows group members interrogate a Syrian man before slapping him multiple time and throwing a wooden board at him. A statement attributed to the new group has also been circulating across Telegram and other social media networks, in which they link their recent actions to the recent violence in coastal Syria, which saw Syrian Alawis targeted in deadly attacks amidst clashes between Assad loyalists and current government forces. The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) said that in just a few days, at least 803 extrajudicial killings were committed by both sides. Many Alawis have fled to Lebanon in the wake of the attacks. Alawis are a 10th century offshoot of Shia Islam and still share many affinities with the sect. A weekend from hell in coastal Syria Read More » "For months we have been monitoring accounts of Syrians working inside Iraq that glorify Jolani and his rule," the group's statement read, using al-Sharaa's former nom de guerre. "We turned a blind eye because it was a political issue, but since the beginning of the massacre, these groups on social media have turned into dens of espionage and gloating over our Alawi brothers and provoking the Iraqi street, which is majority Shia." The group said that as a result it has decided to "pursue all Syrians who support Jolani and expel them from the country". "Deleting your posts and incitements will be of no use, as we have a comprehensive database and have been monitoring you for months," they added. Iraqi forces have also arrested at least 13 Syrians accused of "promoting terrorist groups" and supporting the mass killing in Syria in recent days, two interior ministry officials told AFP on condition of anonymity. Responding to these acts, Syria's foreign ministry released a statement condemning the attacks and called on the Iraqi government to act. "The Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemns what Syrians are being subjected to in Iraq, as these acts constitute a violation of human rights and international law," the ministry's statement read. "We affirm our full support for our people, and we call on the esteemed Iraqi government to hold accountable the perpetrators of these crimes and take all necessary measures to ensure the safety and security of Syrians residing in Iraq."
The National
12-03-2025
- Politics
- The National
Militia targets Syrians in Iraq accused of supporting HTS crackdown
Iraq's prime minister on Wednesday ordered the formation of a security team to pursue a Shiite militia that has been targeting Syrians in Iraq for allegedly supporting the killing of hundreds of people in a security campaign across the border. The previously unknown militia, which calls itself Ya Ali Popular Formations, said it has been following the activities of Syrians on social media who have been 'praising' the rule of new president Ahmad Al Shara and the security forces campaign in Syria's coastal areas. In one recent incident in Iraq, three black-clad masked men were filmed breaking into a bakery, slapping one of its two workers and searching their phones. One of the men was carrying a pistol. A statement issued by Ya Ali called on the Iraqi government to act against Syrians supporting Mr Al Shara. The new Syrian president was based in Iraq as a fighter for al Qaeda before he broke ties with the extremist group in 2016 and created Hayat Tahrir Al Sham, which took power in Damascus last December in a rebel offensive that toppled former president Bashar Al Assad. Memories are still raw among many Iraqis of a Sunni-led insurgency in which Mr Al Shara took part that plagued Iraq after the US-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein in 2003. Ya Ali has denounced the recent killings in Syria, saying 'we will not tolerate the glorification of terrorism in our country as we have been burned by its fire more than anyone else'. The Iraqi government was a staunch supporter of Mr Al Assad's regime. He is from Syria's minority Alawite community that has been targeted in the security campaign over the past week. Baghdad has condemned the targeting of 'innocent civilians' in Syria. But in an apparent move to calm tensions, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani on Wednesday denounced the assault filmed in the Iraqi bakery as 'shameful acts of violence against a number of Syrian brothers working in Iraq'. He ordered the 'formation of a specialised security team to pursue those who commit these illegal acts that have nothing to do with the morals of Iraqis', said a statement. The Syrian Foreign Ministry also denounced what it called 'violations of human rights and international law' against Syrians in Iraq. 'We call on the Iraqi government to hold accountable the perpetrators of these crimes and take all necessary measures to ensure the security and safety of Syrians residing in Iraq,' it said in a statement. Earlier this month, Iraqi security forces arrested three Syrian refugees reportedly for posting content in support of the Syrian government's military operations and publishing video appearing to show members of Hayat Tahrir Al Sham vowing to fight Shiites in Iraq. Since Thursday, more than 1,300 people, including 973 civilians, mostly Alawites, have been killed in a wave of sectarian violence in areas along Syria's Mediterranean coast, according to figures compiled by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The UK war monitor said 'killings and field executions' were recorded in Tartus, Banias and areas of Latakia. The fighting broke out after gunmen loyal to Mr Al Assad attacked Syrian security forces. On Monday, troops with Syria's new government announced the end of the large-scale offensive but said they would continue chasing remnants of the Assad regime. Mr Al Shara pledged in a video released on Sunday that his government would hold anyone involved in the killing of civilians accountable. The presidency announced an 'independent committee' had been formed to 'investigate the violations and identify those responsible'. Unlike other countries in the region, Iraq is thought to view the new rulers in Damascus with suspicion, despite officially welcoming the regime change. It has called for an inclusive political process in Syria and expressed concern over the danger posed by a resurgent ISIS. Hundreds of thousands of Syrians have found shelter in Iraq since the outbreak of Syria's civil war in 2011. Many have been settled as refugees in camps in the autonomous region of Kurdistan, but some have sneaked into other parts of Iraq to work illegally.
Iraqi News
12-03-2025
- Politics
- Iraqi News
Commander-in-Chief orders to pursue those responsible for the heinous acts of violence against Syrian workers in Iraq
Baghdad-INA Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces directed the formation of a specialized security team to pursue those responsible for the heinous acts of violence against Syrian workers in Iraq. The Spokesperson for the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Sabah Al-Numan said in a statement, received by The Iraqi News Agency-INA that 'Certain social media platforms have circulated a video depicting heinous acts of violence against Syrian workers by a masked group claiming affiliation with a faction calling itself 'Ya Ali Popular Formations.' He further stated 'Immediately, the Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces directed the formation of a specialized security team to pursue those responsible for these acts, which are entirely contrary to Iraqi values and morals'. 'We strongly condemn this criminal act, which violates all human and moral values and constitutes a blatant infringement on human dignity and rights—regardless of nationality or affiliation,' he asserted. Al-Numan affirmed that ''We reaffirm the deep bond between the brotherly peoples of Iraq and Syria, while also emphasizing that the law will be strictly enforced against anyone proven to be involved, without leniency or discrimination. This underscores our unwavering commitment to upholding the rule of law and safeguarding societal security'.
