ŞIRNEX – Academic Kamuran Berwarî stated that Raghad Saddam Hussein, daughter of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, is preparing herself for the aftermath of a possible intervention in Iraq, adding, “However, this is not possible. The peoples of Iraq have experienced massacres; they would not allow any Baathist, let alone Saddam’s daughter, to govern Iraq.”

 

Reactions continue following a report by the Arabic-language Fox Press claiming that Raghad Saddam Hussein met with Ahmed al-Sharaa in Damascus on January 16 under the supervision of the United Kingdom and Jordan. Confirming the meeting, Syrian National Salvation Party leader Muhammed Muwalid said that after meeting al-Sharaa, Raghad also held talks with an Israeli delegation in Damascus.

 

Commentators have suggested a link between the revelation of the meeting and recent threats toward Shengal voiced by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan during a television appearance on February 10. Ongoing political deadlock in Iraq, including the failure to appoint a president and prime minister, as well as the inability to form a government in the Kurdistan Region have further fueled theories that regional attention is shifting toward Iraq.

 

 

Kamuran Berwarî, deputy head of the Academy of Politics and Democratic Thought in the Kurdistan Region, spoke to Mezopotamya Agency (MA) about the meeting and its potential implications for Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.

 

SUNNI ALLIANCE AGAINST SHIITE ADMINISTRATION

 

Berwarî argued that a Sunni alliance, involving Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria, and Turkey, is being formed to counter the Shiite bloc seeking to expand its influence in the Middle East.

 

“Before Saddam was overthrown, several prominent Sunni figures later relocated to Jordan, Turkey, Qatar, and some European countries, where they received training in preparation for a return,” he said. “Steps are being taken to place the region once again under the influence of political Islam, and preparations for this have been underway for a long time. Syria, under Turkey’s control, has been incorporated into this plan. Raghad’s meeting with al-Sharaa took place within this framework.”

 

He added that while Raghad may be preparing for a post-intervention Iraq, such a scenario is unrealistic given Iraq’s history of violence under Baathist rule.

 

ROLE OF THE UNITED KINGDOM AND JORDAN

 

Addressing reports that the meeting occurred under British and Jordanian oversight, Berwarî described Jordan as “a forward outpost for Israel” that has historically defended Western interests.

 

“For the past 300 years, changing maps in the Middle East have often occurred under British supervision, and the UK continues to play this role in the 21st century,” he said. “They have sought to eliminate forces advocating peace and coexistence in the region by promoting a form of political Islam aligned with their interests.”

 

Berwarî also claimed that Ahmed al-Sharaa came to power in Damascus with the backing of the UK, France, the United States, and Israel, warning that such political arrangements could ultimately backfire.

 

‘THREATS TOWARD SHENGAL’

 

Berwarî further argued that recent threats by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan toward Sinjar are connected to the reported meeting between Raghad and al-Sharaa.

 

“Everything in Rojava was carried out in plain sight after long preparation,” he said, claiming that the aim was to dismantle the Democratic Autonomous Administration and the influence of Abdullah Öcalan’s political paradigm. He warned that plans may include occupying Mount Sinjar and ending the region’s autonomy, urging Kurdish groups to maintain unity in the face of potential attacks.

 

“If Turkey were to attempt an occupation of the Kurdistan Region, it would be a disaster for Turkey itself and would serve no people living there,” Berwarî said. “There is no path forward for Turkey other than peace.”

 

MA / Emrullah Acar