Iraqi politicians, armed groups unite to block Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa from Arab League summit in Baghdad

Iraqi political leaders, members of parliament and powerful armed groups' commanders are mounting a concerted effort to block Syria's interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, from attending next month's Arab League summit in Baghdad, filing terrorism complaints against him and warning the government not to confer "legitimacy" on a man they blame for past violence against Iraqis.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' Al-Sudani announced on Wednesday that he had formally invited Sharaa to attend the Arab Summit scheduled to be held in Baghdad on 17 May.

Speaking at the ninth Sulaimani Forum in the Kurdish city of Sulaimaniyah, al-Sudani made the remarks during a keynote session attended by regional leaders, diplomats, and policy experts.

More than 50 MPs from the Iran-aligned Asaib Ahl al-Haq and Kataib Hezbollah factions have submitted criminal complaints accusing Sharaa of terrorism, however, Iraq's courts have not said whether they will hear the case.

Asaib MP Yusuf al-Kilabi wrote on X that "more than fifty deputies" had formally urged the speaker of parliament to bar any visit.

Asaib leader Qais al-Khazali also said in a post on X on Saturday that Sharaa’s visit to Iraq was "premature", warning it could lead to serious consequences if he were arrested due to an outstanding arrest warrant issued by the Iraqi judiciary.

Al-Khazali called on all Iraqi authorities to "respect the decisions of the judiciary".

'Spotless' legal record

The Islamic Dawa Party, a mainstay of the ruling Coordination Framework, also weighed in on Sunday, insisting that all summit invitees must have a "spotless" legal record at home and abroad - a clear reference to Sharaa's proposed attendance. 

"The blood of Iraqis is not cheap," it declared, arguing Baghdad should not welcome anyone "implicated in heinous crimes".

The party drew a comparison with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who faces travel restrictions in parts of Europe due to an International Criminal Court warrant for genocide and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

"The same should be done in Iraq towards those who have committed heinous crimes against its people, whatever the excuses, out of respect for Iraqi blood and in loyalty to the martyrs who gave their lives for the nation’s dignity and honour," the statement added.

Sharaa, formerly known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, is the longtime commander of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a group designated as a terrorist organisation by the United States, United Nations, and European Union. He is accused of overseeing war crimes and acts of terrorism in both Syria and Iraq, including mass executions, targeting civilians, and arbitrary detention.

Sharaa’s trajectory began in Iraq after the 2003 US invasion, where he joined the Islamic State of Iraq, al-Qaeda’s local branch. Imprisoned at Camp Bucca, he developed close ties with senior jihadists, including Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. In 2011, he was sent into Syria to establish Jabhat al-Nusra, which became al-Qaeda’s affiliate in the country before later rebranding as HTS.

Though HTS formally severed ties with al-Qaeda in 2016, many international observers view this as cosmetic. Jolani remains under US sanctions, with a $10 million reward offered for information leading to his capture.

Prime Minister al-Sudani paid a brief visit to Qatar last week, holding a tripartite meeting with Qatar's emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, and Sharaa - their first encounter since Bashar al-Assad was toppled in December.

The meeting provoked an angry backlash in Baghdad, with critics branding it "humiliating" and accusing Sudani of legitimising Sharaa. Abu Ali al-Askari, a senior Kataib Hezbollah figure, called the Syrian leader a "convict" and said the summit could proceed without him.

At its Riyadh summit in May 2023, the Arab League agreed to hold the next meeting in Baghdad. Sudani says the event will turn the capital into "a platform for stability and development" and deepen cooperation with Syria on borders, water, and energy.

Iraq's judiciary has not publicly acknowledged the complaints against Sharaa, and Damascus has yet to comment.

Sharaa, who has recently shed his militant attire for military fatigues and formal suits, has rebranded himself in the wake of Assad's downfall.

Since December 2024, when rebel forces led by HTS captured Damascus, he has issued statements under his birth name to position himself as a legitimate political figure and state leader.