Iraqi Parliament seeks clarity on “ambiguous” delegation visit to Damascus, plans to host INIS Head
Shafaq News/ On Sunday, the Iraqi Parliament's Security and Defense Committee confirmed the “ambiguity” surrounding the results of the recent Iraqi delegation's visit to Damascus and its meeting with Syria’s new leader, Ahmad Al-Sharaa.
Committee member Yasser Wattout told Shafaq News, "The official visit by the Iraqi delegation, led by Iraqi National Intelligence Service (INIS) Head Hamid Al-Shatri, aimed at preserving national security. However, the results of this visit remain ambiguous.”
"We don't know Al-Sharaa's response to the key national security issues raised by Iraq."
Wattout added, "This uncertainty will prompt us to submit a formal request to host INIS head in the Iraqi Parliament to clarify the details of the visit, what was discussed, and Al-Sharaa's responses… We cannot remain in the dark about the outcomes of this important meeting."
Earlier, Badr Organization condemned the visit. "This meeting falls within the framework of US pressure to whitewash his [Al-Sharaa] image and absolve him of crimes committed in Iraq and the region, aiming to impose a new reality," organization leader Mohammed Mahdi al-Bayati clarified.
No official statement has been issued by the Iraqi government regarding the Iraqi delegation's visit to Syria. However, a source revealed to Shafaq News Agency, on Thursday, the goals of the visit, including "reaffirming Iraq's commitment to non-interference in Syria's internal affairs, informing the new Syrian administration of Iraq's genuine concern regarding the potential escape or smuggling of ISIS members from Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) prisons near the Iraqi border, and sharing Iraq's security expertise and measures for ensuring stability."
In turn, government spokesperson Basim Al-Awadi revealed that the Iraqi delegation discussed developments in Syria and security needs along the shared border.
On December 22, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani announced that his government reached out to brotherly countries, launched an initiative for security in Syria, and presented an Iraqi paper at the Aqaba Conference in Jordan, which was welcomed by all.
