Source: Heavy security surrounds Syrian Embassy in Baghdad

Shafaq News/ The Syrian Embassy in Baghdad saw an intense security deployment, following the hoisting of Syria's new flag, an Iraqi security source said on Wednesday.

“Since last night, the Syrian Embassy in Baghdad has been under strict security measures, including the closure of the access road in Baghdad’s Al-Mansour district,” the source told Shafaq News Agency.

“Embassy Protection Forces have deployed heavily, closing the road as a precautionary measure in anticipation of any potential incidents.”

The decision to reinforce security came after the embassy raised Syria’s new national flag, symbolizing the political shifts in the country following the fall of President Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

Security personnel prevented Shafaq News Agency reporters from documenting the scene.

Last week, individuals entered Syrian embassies abroad to raise the opposition flag, including hoisting it above the Syrian embassies in Russia, Spain, Greece, Italy, Sweden, and Serbia.

About The Syrian Flag

The flag of the Syrian Arab Republic, led by Bashar al-Assad and the Baath Party, consists of three horizontal bands, known in vexillology (the study of flags) as "fesses." The red symbolizes the bloodshed in the Syrian revolution, white represents peace, and black signifies the oppression of Arabs.

The green stars in the center represent Syria and Egypt, the founding states of the United Arab Republic, a short-lived union from 1958 to 1961 when a coup by the military reinstated Syria as an independent nation. This flag design was adopted by ousted President Bashar al-Assad’s father and Ba'ath Party officials as Syria’s official flag after the coup.

In contrast, the opposition forces adopted a flag to distinguish themselves from the al-Assad government. The design, known as the "independence" flag, revives the one flown during Syria’s struggle for independence from France. The red fess is replaced by green, and three red stars symbolize Syria's three main districts: Aleppo, Damascus, and Deir ez-Zor.