According to reports from Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, the Arabic-language version of The New Arab, two major Iraqi groups have indicated that they are willing to send militants to Syria to support President Bashar al-Assad’s forces against a resurgent Islamist-led rebel alliance. This development coincides with growing conflicts that have sparked worries about the region’s stability.
Kazem Al-Fartousi, spokesperson for the Iraqi paramilitary group Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada, accused the United States and Israel of orchestrating the renewed insurgency in Syria as part of a larger strategy to weaken the so-called “axis of resistance,” which links Hezbollah, Iran, Iraq, and Syria.
“What is transpiring in Syria is largely influenced by the United States and Israel as part of a secondary phase aimed at neutralizing Hezbollah in Lebanon,” Al-Fartousi stated. He underscored that his organization is ready to intervene in Syria, proclaiming, “Iraq will be the first nation impacted by the current situation in Syria.”
Historical Connections and Renewed Perils
Iraqi paramilitary factions, especially those aligned with Shia interests, have a longstanding history of engagement in the Syrian conflict. These groups originally mobilized to safeguard Shia religious sites and bolster Assad’s regime; however, they gradually withdrew as the Syrian government, supported by Russian airpower, regained substantial territory. Now, with the rebel coalition advancing swiftly, factions such as Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada and Harakat Ansar Allah al-Awfiya are reportedly reevaluating their positions.
Ali Al-Fatlawi, a high-ranking official from Harakat Ansar Allah al-Awfiya, highlighted the possible implications of the Syrian conflict on Iraq’s security. “Iraq’s security will be affected by the developments in Syria, and what happened in recent years was clear evidence of that,” he told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed. He hinted that fighters from Iraqi factions could soon deploy to Syria, underscoring the deep ties within the axis of resistance.
Readiness to Respond
While there is no official directive for Iraqi militias to engage in Syria at this time, leaders of the factions suggest they are on high alert. “Anything is possible in the coming days if the situation in Syria escalates further and becomes more dangerous,” Al-Fartousi said.
The current coordination among resistance axis members has allegedly discussed the sending of reinforcements to Syria. Footage of the internet over the weekend showed Muhannad Al-Anzi, high level member of the Badr Organisation, at Sayyida Zainab in the suburbs of Damascus, a shrine for Shia Muslims. In the video, Al-Anzi confirmed the situation in the area was stable but acknowledged the presence of Iraqi factions in support of the Syrian government.
The reappearance of Iraqi militias on the Syrian front line may solidify the region in sustained instability. Experts point to the risk of spillover effects to Iraq’s internal security, in large part because the memory of the fight against the Islamic State from 2014 to 2017 is strong.
To Iraq and its Iran-backed militias, the Syrian campaign isn’t only to strengthen Assad’s government, but also to maintain the purposed lifelines and ideological fit that support the axis of resistance. Al-Fartousi and other leaders have described their role as a requirement to prevent what they perceive as foreign intervention to try and destabilize their area.
With the Syrian landscape increasingly unstable, the Reentry of Iraqi paramilitaries demonstrably shows a new level of regional involvement. Their possible use shines a light on the closely knit patterns of the Middle Eastern Wars, where frontiers are sometimes effaced in the presence of common allegiances and dangers.
At present, all eyes are on Syria, and the current unfolding there may usher in a new phase of hostilities with vast, destabilizing implications for its neighbor, Iraq, and the wider region.
