Blinken Makes Surprise Visit to Iraq as Questions Surround Post-Assad Syria

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Secretary of State Antony Blinken has spoken with Jordanian, Turkish, and Iraqi leaders about preventing a surge in sectarian conflicts and terrorism in Syria.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken made a surprise visit to Baghdad, Iraq, on Dec. 13, in hopes of promoting regional stability after Bashar al-Assad’s recent fall from power in neighboring Syria.

Upon his arrival, Blinken met with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani.

The secretary of state said they discussed how Syria can move on after Assad while protecting ethnic and religious minorities in the country and achieving “an inclusive, non-sectarian government.”

Blinken said he and the Sudani also emphasized a need to prevent Syria from becoming “a platform for terrorism.”

Assad’s fall from power was precipitated by a surprise insurgent offensive that began in late November and swept down from northwestern Syria into the capital of Damascus.

Hayʼat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS)—a Sunni Islamist faction that formed out of the Syrian branch of al-Qaeda and that the United States regards as a terrorist group—was an integral part of this surprise offensive that scattered Assad’s loyalist forces and convinced him to flee to Russia.

HTS has since declared a transitional government and named one of its members, Mohammed al-Bashir, the interim prime minister, to serve until March 1, 2025.

In his initial remarks following Assad’s decision to flee Syria, U.S. President Joe Biden said his administration is continuing to monitor how the rebel factions behave.

“They’re saying the right things now, but as they take on greater responsibility, we will assess not just their words, but their actions,” Biden said.

HTS is one of several factions that have fought against Assad and among themselves for power throughout the Syrian civil war; a multi-sided conflict that began in 2011 and has not yet concluded.

The United States and other international observers have raised concerns that other terrorist groups have taken part in the chaotic struggle for power over the past 13 years.

ISIS, sometimes referred to as Daesh, grew to prominence in parts of Iraq and Syria during this conflict and sought territorial control throughout the region.

The United States worked with Iraq and other partner forces to defeat ISIS and erase its territorial claims.

“We are determined to make sure that Daesh cannot reemerge,” Blinken said, following his meeting with the Iraqi prime minister.

Blinken Meets With Counterparts

Turkey has added to the mix of competing interests in Syria over the years, including through its support for the Syrian National Army (SNA).

It has sought to establish a security buffer zone on its border with Syria and has partnered with the SNA on that mission.

Among Turkey’s security concerns are Kurdish militant groups active throughout parts of northern and eastern Syria.

Kurdish militias such as the YPG and YPJ also comprise a core element of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which the United States has supported throughout the recent years of fighting in Syria.

Turkey contends that groups such as the YPG are indistinguishable from the PKK, a group both Turkey and the United States have designated as a terrorist organization.

While HTS spearheaded the march on Damascus, the SDF has reported renewed fighting with Turkey and its SNA partners.

During a Dec. 10 press call, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Turkey has legitimate counterterrorism interests in Syria and that the United States would be in communications about how to manage their conflicting interests.

Blinken met with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan earlier on Dec. 13, before he left for Baghdad.

“Of course, ensuring stability in Syria as soon as possible, taking action to prevent terrorism from establishing a foothold are among our priorities,” Fidan said in remarks alongside Blinken following their meeting.

“We discussed what would be done on these issues, what would be done for terrorists—Daesh and PKK—taking action to prevent them from abusing the situation. These were the priorities.”

Blinken also met with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi on Dec. 12, and the two discussed post-Assad Syria.

The U.S. secretary of state also spoke with his Turkish and Jordanian counterparts this week about progress on a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, after more than a year of fighting there between Israel and Hamas.

Reuters contributed to this report.