Ahmed Shara seeks US security for Baghdad summit

Syria’s interim President, Ahmed Shara, requested protection from a US-backed private security company during the upcoming Arab League Summit in Baghdad.

A government source, speaking to Shafaq News Agency, revealed that Syria’s interim President, Ahmed Shara, had requested security guarantees from the US to attend the Arab Summit in Baghdad. It was stated that Shara specifically asked for protection to be provided by a private American security company.

The source stated, “Baghdad offered various security guarantees to ensure Ahmed Shara’s participation in the summit, but the Syrian administration finds them insufficient.” It was expressed that the Syrian side is concerned about a potential attack in Iraq and therefore requires US assurance.

It was reported that Qatar played a mediating role in the meeting between Shara and Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and supported Shara’s visit to Iraq, but does not have a security company operating in the country.

It was also stated that Iran’s silence regarding Shara’s visit to Iraq has made the Damascus administration uneasy, and it was emphasized that Shara’s participation in the summit is entirely dependent on security measures.

Iraq had sent an official invitation to Ahmed Shara to attend the Arab Summit. This invitation caused widespread political debate in the country. Shara was one of the thousands of foreign fighters who entered Iraq via Syria after the 2003 US invasion. He was arrested by US forces in 2005 and remained in prison until 2011. Upon his release, he returned to Syria in 2011 to establish the Syrian branch of ISIS, commissioned by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of ISIS who was killed in 2019. Jolani, who founded the Nusra Front in January 2012, declared allegiance to Al-Qaeda in April 2013 but announced his separation from Al-Qaeda in July 2016, gradually transforming his organization into Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. The Assad regime was overthrown as a result of attacks led by HTS, which began last December.

In the memory of many Iraqis, the systematic attacks by the organization Shara was part of, which began after the 2003 US invasion, remain fresh. The Iraqi branch of Al-Qaeda, to which Shara was affiliated at the time, is remembered for numerous attacks, particularly targeting the Shia population. Hundreds of civilians lost their lives in bombings in Shia-majority areas such as Najaf, Karbala, and Sadr City, and the attack on the Askari Shrine in Samarra in 2006 deepened sectarian conflict. Due to this history, Shara’s invitation to Baghdad creates significant sensitivity in Iraq, especially among Shia groups.

There is an arrest warrant issued for Shara by the Iraqi judiciary in late 2024. Additionally, an Iraqi member of parliament filed a criminal complaint against Shara last week.

However, Iraqi legal expert Mohammed Jumaa stated that Shara currently holds the status of a head of state and therefore possesses immunity under national and international laws. Jumaa used the phrase, “Therefore, past accusations are now invalid.”

The ruling Coordination Framework bloc in Iraq left the decision-making authority regarding whether to invite Shara to the prime minister during its last meeting. While the bloc did not officially oppose the invitation, some components explicitly stated their opposition.

The Arab League Summit, scheduled for May 17, will be the first summit hosted by Iraq since 2012.