Iraq to return stranded Assad soldiers to Syria

Iraq has begun to extradite back to Syria Assadist soldiers who had fled the country during the collapse of the Baath regime, Iraqi officials said on Wednesday, according to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, The New Arab’s Arabic-language sister publication.

Almost 2,500 Syrian soldiers are currently camped near the border in Anbar, western Iraq, after fleeing Hayat Tahrir al-Sham’s (HTS) lightning offensive which deposed the Assad regime earlier this month.

The announcement was made by Lieutenant-General Qais al-Mohammedawi, deputy commander at the Joint Operations Command, in remarks carried by the Iraqi News Agency. Al-Mohammedawi didn’t provide further details about the government’s plans.

Authorities hope to return the fighters to Syria by Thursday, said Saad al-Mohammedi, a top security official in the western Iraqi province.

This came as videos circulated on social media appearing to show a protest by the soldiers who are calling on Iraqi authorities to return them to their home country.

All military personnel conscripted into the Syrian army under the Assad regime have been granted amnesty by the HTS-led transitional government. The opposition said it would protect the lives of soldiers after thousands surrendered to their rapid advance across the country.

An Iraqi security source confirmed to Al-Araby that most of the soldiers want to return to Syria.

"They have received assurances that their return to their country does not pose any threat to their lives", the official said on condition of anonymity.

The soldiers will not be forced to return to Syria and can remain in Iraq if they want, al-Mohammedi said.

Iraqi authorities had previously said they were waiting for Syria to stabilise before arranging their return.

This comes a day after Al-Araby reported that senior regime officials—among them Bashar al-Assad’s brother, Maher—had escaped to Iraq and were in hiding in Sulaymaniyah, a city in the country’s Kurdistan region.

Iraqi and Kurdish government officials have denied the reports.