Syrian Rebel Leader warns Iraqi PM against involvement in Syria's war

Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, leader of the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), has called on Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani to avoid entangling Iraq in Syria’s ongoing conflict.

In a video message posted Thursday on HTS’s Telegram channel, Jolani cautioned against Iraq’s involvement following calls from Iraq’s Kataeb Hezbollah to support Damascus.

“We urge him [Al-Sudani] to distance Iraq from entering the new furnace of what is happening in Syria,” Jolani said. He specifically appealed to the Iraqi leader to “prevent the Iraqi Hashed al-Shaabi from interfering in what is happening in Syria,” referring to the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), an alliance of Iran-backed groups under the command of the Iraqi prime minister.

Jolani dismissed fears from Iraqi politicians that Syria’s conflict could spill into Iraq, calling such concerns “100 percent wrong.”

His remarks come after Kataeb Hezbollah, an influential faction within the PMF, called on Baghdad to deploy troops to Syria to support President Bashar al-Assad’s forces. Kataeb Hezbollah has previously fought alongside Syrian government forces and remains closely aligned with Tehran.

Meanwhile, Iraq has taken measures to secure its 600-kilometer border with Syria, deploying armored vehicles earlier this week. Al-Sudani, who met with Assad on Saturday, underscored the interconnection between the two nations’ security, stating that Iraq plays a “crucial role in regional security and efforts to establish stability in the Middle East.”

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based war monitor, reported this week that around 200 pro-Iranian Iraqi fighters entered Syria to bolster government forces. However, the PMF denies operating outside Iraq’s borders.

Iraq remains wary of rekindling instability, haunted by its struggle against the Islamic State (IS) group, which once controlled nearly a third of the country. Local forces, supported by a US-led coalition, defeated IS in 2017, but regional instability continues to pose challenges. Jolani’s warning highlights the delicate balance Iraq faces as it navigates its role in a volatile Middle East.