Iraqi PM makes first visit to Syria since 2011, strengthening close ties between countries

Iraqi prime minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani on Monday ended a two-day visit to Damascus with the goal of improving bilateral relations between neighbouring countries that already enjoy close political and military ties.

This was the first visit by an Iraqi premier to Syria since antigovernment protests erupted in 2011. Iraq remained Syria’s loyal partner during the succeeding conflict while other Arab states recalled ambassadors and the Arab League suspended Syrian membership.

Mr Sudani called for the lifting of US and European sanctions on Syria and Iraqi-Syrian co-operation to defeat fugitive jihadi fighters from Islamic State (also known as Isis) which in 2014 established a cross-border caliphate in the two countries. He proposed joint efforts to combat drought and climate change and secure a “fair share of water” from the Tigris and Euphrates rivers which have been dammed at source by Turkey.

Syrian president Bashar al-Assad praised Iraq for standing by Syria. As the main regional ally of both Syria and Iraq, Iran fielded thousands of Iraqi militiamen to reinforce the overstretched Syrian army while it battled multiple militias sponsored by Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Qatar to topple Mr Assad. “During the war,” Mr Assad said. “Iraq offered the most precious thing that a person can offer, which is blood.”

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He also thanked Iraq for sending shelters, food, and medical aid following February’s large earthquakes in northwestern Syria and southeastern Turkey which killed 7,259 people in Syria and damaged urban and rural areas.

The two leaders discussed combating production and export to the region by Syria and Lebanon of the addictive amphetamine Captagon and reopening the 41-year-old, 965km-long pipeline from Kirkuk in northern Iraq to the Syrian Mediterranean port of Banias which would give Iraq a new outlet for exporting its oil. The return home of the 280,000 Syrian refugees hosted by Iraq was also on their agenda.

“We are interested in working through official and government channels to solve the issue of refugees and guarantee a safe return for them as soon as the situation becomes stable in places where they reside,” Mr Sudani said.

He also urged countries to repatriate citizens detained in northern Syria’s al-Hol camp for wives, widows and children of Islamic State fighters. The camp holds about 50,000 inmates. While most are Syrians and Iraqis, there are 800 women and children from 60 other countries which have refused to reclaim them as they could be security threats.

Baghdad played key roles in healing the rift between Iran and its Gulf neighbours and ending the estrangement between Syria and Arab countries which formerly backed antigovernment militias. Iraq’s efforts were rewarded by the reconciliation announced in March by China between Iran and Saudi Arabia and Syria’s return to the Arab League in May.