Iraq PM says keeping up diplomacy to 'contain crisis' in Syria
by AFP Staff Writers
Baghdad (AFP) Dec 6, 2024

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani on Friday said his country was pressing diplomatic efforts aimed at "containing the crisis in Syria due to its clear impact on Iraqi security".

His remarks came ahead of a meeting between the top diplomats of Baghdad, Damascus and Tehran to discuss developments in Syria, which has been in the throes of a shock offensive that has seen rebel forces capture key cities from the government.

Islamist-led rebels in Syria were about five kilometres (three miles) outside of the western city of Homs, the country's third largest and a former bastion of anti-government protests.

In a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Sudani on Friday affirmed that "Iraq is continuing intensive diplomatic efforts with the aim of containing the crisis in Syria due to its clear impact on iraqi security".

"Iraq's official, fixed stance is in support of Syria's unity, security and stability," Sudani added, according to a statement from his office.

Iraq's Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein, during a meeting with his Syrian counterpart Bassam al-Sabbagh, meanwhile expressed "deep concerns" over developments in the neighbouring country.

The two ministers stressed "the importance of continuing consultation and coordination between the two countries to avoid the repetition of previous experiences and to work to protect regional security".

Sabbagh pointed to "the necessity of mobilising Arab and regional efforts to counter this terrorist threat... and prevent it from moving to other countries", according to the official Syrian news agency SANA.

Both Iraq and Syria have scarcely recovered from the Islamic State group's takeover of large swathes of territory in both countries, as well as the subsequent wars waged to eject them.

Iraq's defence ministry on Monday said it was sending armoured vehicles to enhance security along the country's 600-kilometres porous border with Syria.

On Thursday, Syrian rebel leader known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Jolani urged Sudani to keep his country distant from Syria's war and prevent armed groups from backing Bashar al-Assad's forces.

Faleh al-Fayyad, the head of the Hashed al-Shaabi former paramilitaries now integrated into Iraq's regular army, on Friday said that "the crisis in Syria is an internal event... and Iraq has no business with it".

Syria army says 'redeploying' in southern Daraa, Sweida provinces
Damascus (AFP) Dec 7, 2024 - Syria's army said it was redeploying in two southern provinces on Saturday, after a war monitor reported government forces had lost control of most of Daraa province, the cradle of the country's 2011 uprising.

"Our forces operating in Daraa and Sweida are redeploying and repositioning, and establishing a... security cordon in that direction after terrorist elements attacked remote army checkpoints," the General Command of the Army and Armed Forces said in a statement carried by state media.

On Friday evening, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor said local factions had taken control of more than 90 percent of Daraa, including the eponymous city.

In neighbouring Sweida, the Britain-based monitor and local media said the governor, the police and prison chiefs, and the local ruling Baath Party leader had left their offices as local fighters took control of several checkpoints.

The army's statement said it was "beginning to regain control in Homs and Hama provinces in the face of terrorist organisations", as rebels who launched a stunning offensive last week, taking key cities Aleppo and Hama, battled troops near Homs.

Sweida is the heartland of Syria's Druze minority and has witnessed anti-government demonstrations for more than a year.

Damascus has turned a blind eye to tens of thousands of Druze men refusing to undertake compulsory military service. The vast majority of them have not taken up arms against the government.

Daraa province, meanwhile, was the cradle of the 2011 uprising against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's rule, but it returned to government control in 2018 under a ceasefire deal brokered by Assad ally Russia.

Former rebels there who accepted the 2018 deal were able to keep their light weapons.

Daraa province has been plagued by unrest in recent years, with frequent attacks, armed clashes and assassinations, some claimed by the Islamic State group.

Syrian government loses control of southern city of Daraa: monitor
Beirut, Lebanon (AFP) Dec 6, 2024 - The Syrian government lost control Friday of the symbolic southern city of Daraa and most of the eponymous province, which was the cradle of the country's 2011 uprising, a war monitor said.

"Local factions have taken control of more areas in Daraa province, including Daraa city... They now control more than 90 percent of the province, as regime forces successively pulled out," the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

In Daraa province, only the Sanamayn area is still in government hands, Rami Abdel Rahman, who heads the British-based monitor with a network of sources in Syria, told AFP.

Earlier Friday, local factions seized the Nassib-Jaber border crossing with Jordan, the Observatory said, with Jordan closing its side of the crossing, Interior Minister Mazen al-Faraya said.

Daraa province was the cradle of the 2011 uprising against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's rule, but it returned to government control in 2018 under a ceasefire deal brokered by Assad ally Russia. It was a rebel bastion at the height of the civil war in the early 2010s.

Former rebels there who accepted the 2018 deal were able to keep their light weapons.

Daraa province has been plagued by unrest in recent years, with frequent attacks, armed clashes and assassinations, some claimed by the Islamic State group.

Iran, Iraq join Syria in warning rebel advance threatens whole region
Baghdad (AFP) Dec 6, 2024 - Iran and Iraq issued a joint statement with Syria on Friday warning that sweeping rebel gains at the expense of President Bashar al-Assad's forces posed a danger to the whole region

"Threats against Syria's security constitute a danger for the stability of the region," said the statement issued after a meeting of the three countries' foreign ministers.

"There is no alternative to coordination, cooperation and diplomatic consultation" if the "risks of escalation" are to be avoided, the ministers said.

They underlined the "need for Arab, regional and international action to bring about peaceful resolutions to the challenges facing Syria and the region."

Earlier, Iran's Abbas Araghchi pledged to provide Assad's government with "whatever (support) is needed" to tackle the rebel advance.

Iraq's Fuad Hussein said security forces were "on high alert".

Friday's meeting in Baghdad came ahead of talks in Doha this weekend that will see Damascus allies Moscow and Tehran sit down with opposition-supporting Ankara.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he hoped the rebel advance would go off "without incident".

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