Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa has announced he will not attend the Arab League Summit in Baghdad this weekend, following controversy sparked by Iraq's invitation to the former rebel-turned-leader, whose return to Iraq, where he fought and was imprisoned, raised concerns.
Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa has announced that he will not attend the Arab League Summit in Baghdad this weekend. Iraq's invitation has sparked controversy over the potential return of the former rebel leader to a country where he once fought and was imprisoned.
According to Syrian state television, Sharaa will be replaced by Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani, who will lead Syria’s delegation. The main topics of the summit will include Gaza reconstruction and the Palestinian issue.
Sharaa’s decision reflects the mixed results of Syria’s regional relations following the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad last year. Sharaa has rapidly strengthened ties with Sunni-majority Gulf Arab states, particularly Saudi Arabia and Qatar, but has been more cautious with countries like Iraq, which has a Shiite-majority population.
Sharaa fought with Al-Qaeda in Iraq after the U.S. invasion in 2003 and was imprisoned for more than five years before being released in 2011. After his release, he established Al-Qaeda’s branch in Syria, which later evolved into the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group in 2016. This group eventually became one of the main forces fighting against Assad’s regime.
Politicians have viewed Sharaa’s absence from the summit as a step toward Iraq distancing itself from Iran and fostering stronger ties with the Arab world. However, analysts have pointed out that tensions remain over Iraq’s move away from Iran and its deeper cooperation with Syria.
Some Syrians have expressed concern that Sharaa could face danger in Iraq. They believe that Iraq's critics, along with Syrian intelligence services, will take these threats seriously.
Kazakhstan has called on Ukraine to stop attacks on the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) terminal on the Black Sea, after a major drone strike halted...
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen triumphed at the Qatar Grand Prix, overtaking McLaren’s Oscar Piastri for victory, while Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz Jr. co...
China’s Xuelong 2 icebreaker has reached waters near Zhongshan Station and begun icebreaking operations as part of the country’s 42nd Antarctic sc...
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Sunday he expected ongoing talks with Ukrainian officials to deliver “more progress” toward reaching a...
Allies of Kyrgyzstan’s President Sadyr Japarov have secured a strong majority in the country’s snap parliamentary election, according to prelimina...
Kazakhstan has called on Ukraine to stop attacks on the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) terminal on the Black Sea, after a major drone strike halted exports and caused significant damage to loading infrastructure. The terminal handles more than 1% of global oil supplies.
Türkiye’s first unmanned fighter jet, the Bayraktar KIZILELMA, made history off the coast of Sinop by successfully firing a beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile at a jet-powered target.
The White House has opened a new page on its official website accusing journalists and news organisations of biased or misleading coverage of President Donald Trump
At least 153 people have been killed in Sri Lanka after landslides and flooding caused by Cyclone Ditwah, officials said on Saturday, with 191 others missing and more than half a million affected nationwide.
U.S. investigators have recovered the black box recorders from the wreckage of a UPS cargo plane that crashed in flames on takeoff in Louisville, Kentucky. At least twelve people died. The crash sent a wall of fire into an industrial corridor and forced the shutdown of the airport.
The global recall of Airbus A320 aircraft has triggered widespread disruption across several major airlines, forcing flight cancellations in the United States, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.
Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem said on Friday that the group retains the right to respond to Israel’s killing of its top military commander, leaving open the possibility of a new conflict with the country.
Kazakhstan has called on Ukraine to stop striking the Black Sea terminal of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) after a major drone attack forced a halt to exports and caused serious damage to loading equipment.
Russia’s state communications watchdog said it is tightening restrictions on WhatsApp, claiming the US-owned platform violates Russian law and is being used to facilitate criminal activity, according to comments carried by the Tass news agency.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen triumphed at the Qatar Grand Prix, overtaking McLaren’s Oscar Piastri for victory, while Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz Jr. completed the podium in Doha.
China’s Xuelong 2 icebreaker has reached waters near Zhongshan Station and begun icebreaking operations as part of the country’s 42nd Antarctic scientific expedition, a 19-month mission aimed at advancing polar research and strengthening international scientific cooperation.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Sunday he expected ongoing talks with Ukrainian officials to deliver “more progress” toward reaching a deal to end the conflict in Ukraine.
OPEC+ is expected to maintain its current oil production levels at meetings scheduled for Sunday, as the alliance weighs the risks of an emerging supply glut against ongoing geopolitical uncertainty, four OPEC+ sources told reporters this week.
More than a thousand people gathered in Hong Kong on Sunday to mourn victims of the city’s deadliest fire in 75 years, as Beijing warned against any protest.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment