Iraq’s Basra Tribes: No to sectarian violence in Syria

Shafaq News/ Iraq’s Unified Tribal Council in Basra has called on the government to strengthen the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) and enhance security measures amid growing unrest in Syria.

At a press conference during a protest on Monday night, the council urged a strong government response to regional tensions, citing events in Palestine, Lebanon, and attacks on Alawites in Syria. It described the developments as part of a "broader geopolitical struggle involving normalization efforts and regional power shifts."

The council accused Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan of supporting extremist groups in Syria, blaming them for "[transitional President Ahmad Al-Sharaa's] factions committing mass killings of unarmed civilians with regional backing and international silence."

It also called on religious and political authorities, as well as Iraq’s three branches of government, to prepare for all scenarios. Key demands included “stricter security vetting of Syrian nationals in Iraq, legal action against figures accused of inciting sectarianism—such as Khamis al-Khanjar [head of the Sovereignty Alliance (Al-Siyada)], and caution in dealing with Al-Sharaa’s government, including not extending invitations to it." The council also urged approving the PMF Service and Retirement Law and strengthening the PMF.

Meanwhile, a group called Shia Followers of Ahl al-Bayt announced a demonstration on Tuesday evening in front of the Turkish visa office in Basra. Organizers said the protest aims to express solidarity with "persecuted" Shia communities in Syria and reaffirm readiness to confront extremist groups and "enemies of humanity."

The Tribal Council's protest followed escalating sectarian violence in Syria, particularly targeting the Alawite community, with over 1,000 people reported killed in coastal regions since March 2025.

On Friday, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shibani arrived in Baghdad, where he met with Iraq’s Prime Minister, Parliament Speaker, and President. He later held a joint press conference with Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein, marking the first diplomatic engagement between Baghdad and Damascus since Al-Sharaa took power in Syria.

A government source told Shafaq News that Al-Shibani’s talks focused on security coordination, with Iraq increasingly alarmed by the spread of terrorist groups in Syria’s desert regions.