Syria’s Al-Sharaa seeks US security guarantees ahead of Baghdad summit

Shafaq News/ Syria’s transitional president Ahmad Al-Sharaa has requested security assurances from the United States to attend the upcoming Arab League summit scheduled for May 17 in Baghdad, a government source told Shafaq News on Monday.

Al-Sharaa reportedly demanded protection by a US-based private security firm as a condition for his visit, citing fears of a potential assassination attempt on Iraqi soil. The source said that Qatar—credited with brokering a recent meeting between Al-Sharaa and Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani—supports his participation but lacks an operational security presence in Iraq to meet this requirement.

While the Iraqi government has issued multiple guarantees to facilitate Al-Sharaa’s visit, Syrian authorities remain unconvinced, viewing the measures as insufficient, the source explained.

The invitation extended to Al-Sharaa has triggered political friction within Iraq. Various factions are divided over whether the Syrian leader, who presides over a controversial transitional authority, should be received at the event.

While several members of the Shiite Coordination Framework, the main Shiite political alliance, have expressed objections to welcoming Al-Sharaa, including Nouri Al-Maliki, the group authorized Prime Minister Al-Sudani to issue the invitation.

Speaking to Shafaq News, Iraqi legal expert Mohammed Jumaa said Al-Sharaa qualifies as a head of state and, under both Iraqi and international law, would be entitled to immunity from prosecution during his stay.