Fallout from mass killing in Syria’s coast seeps into Iraq

Iraqi security forces have detained multiple Syrian refugees and Iraqi citizens for allegedly promoting terrorist organisations on social media, sparking concerns about surging sectarian tensions. Calls to expel Syrians from Iraq have grown louder following violent episodes in Syria’s coastal areas, potentially placing the refugee community at further risk.

Over recent days, Iraqi authorities have arrested numerous Syrian nationals in Baghdad and other provinces, accusing them of disseminating terrorist propaganda. According to the Ministry of Interior, officers in Baghdad’s Zaafaraniya district apprehended one Syrian suspect on Sunday for promoting extremist groups on Facebook and publishing material deemed sectarian.

Officials asserted that he confessed to the charges, and despite holding valid residency documents and intending to travel out of Iraq, he was intercepted in a preemptive raid and is being held for further legal action.

Meanwhile, security sources told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, the Arabic-language sister publication of The New Arab, that at least five more Syrians and several Iraqis were detained for social media posts supportive of interim Syrian government operations against the remains of Bashar al-Assad‘s ousted regime. 

Citing threats to national security, the Iraqi National Security Service has classified such posts as “endorsing terrorism”, referring some of the suspects to court proceedings. Authorities reportedly link this wave of arrests to heightened tensions unleashed by recent violence in Syria.

Sectarian tensions

Growing friction between Shia-led militias linked to Iran and Syrians living in Iraq has fuelled calls for the expulsion of roughly 400,000 Syrians who fled to the country during the 2011 Syrian revolution and subsequent civil war. 

These hostilities coincided with attempted attacks on the Syrian embassy in Baghdad and calls to sever diplomatic ties with Damascus.

 Critics argue that certain Iranian-aligned militias seek to exploit the situation, citing sectarian motives. In a strongly worded statement, the militia known as the “Ya Ali Popular Formations” vowed retaliation against individuals they accuse of celebrating violence against Alawis in Syria. They insist that government inaction has forced them to take matters into their own hands, describing the arrests of Syrians as “insufficient”.

The statement warns of imminent reprisals if Iraqi authorities fail to act decisively, pointing to data allegedly collected on Syrian residents’ online profiles and addresses. 

For his part, Qais al-Khazali, leader of the Asaib Ahl al-Haq militia, urged global actors to intervene and protect Alawi civilians.

Meanwhile, an adviser to the Iraqi government, Fadi al-Shammari, lamented “an international silence” that fosters an environment of violence and displacement.

Regional fallout

The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR), widely recognised for its comprehensive documentation of the conflict, reported on Monday that 779 people have been killed across Syria since 6 March. They attribute 383 of these deaths to remnants of the ousted Assad regime, including 211 civilians, alongside 172 security and defence personnel. 

Another 396 fatalities, the SNHR asserts, are the result of actions by armed factions involved in anti-regime offensives. These figures include both civilian casualties and disarmed Assad loyalists.

Interim president Ahmad al-Shara said in a press briefing that 200 security personnel had been killed during the unrest in Syria. He refrained from announcing the total death toll until an independent committee concluded its investigation. Although the interim president claims that many areas are now under control, he admits that certain segments of the population are “taking this opportunity to exact revenge” after years of suppression.

Human rights groups have pinned responsibility for what they call “massacres and extrajudicial killings” on the Hamza Division and the Suleiman Shah Brigade, both of which are linked to the Turkish-backed National Army. Their fighters, believed to have been deployed from northwest Syria, allegedly joined local security forces to combat regime remnants in the country’s coastal regions.

With sectarian passions running high, Iraq‘s security apparatus emphasised that it will pursue anyone threatening national stability via social media channels. 

As the situation unfolds, both Baghdad and Damascus face mounting pressure to contain violence, protect civilians, and prevent these cross-border tensions from escalating further.