ALBAWABA - Ahmed al-Sharaa, the interim president of Syria, was in Turkey on Friday when he was asked by a journalist if he intends to visit Iraq soon.
As al-Sharaa entered the country accompanied by his Foreign Minister Asaad al-Sheibani, he was asked: "Will you visit Iraq soon?" Al-Sharaa responded: "God willing, soon... Iraq is our people."
Sky News reported that Iraq and the new Syrian administration didn't openly hold direct talks or nor did any official visit Baghdad since the fall of the old regime on Dec. 8, 2024.
In early April, the Syrian presidency only revealed that Sharaa received a phone call from Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, during which they discussed bilateral relations and ways to strengthen them.
When was Ahmed al-Sharaa arrested in Iraq?
Ahmed al-Sharaa, who was commonly known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, has led the Syrian opposition and was able to oust the former Syrian regime after 12 days of announcing Operation Deterrence of Aggression against Bashar Assad.
However, before becoming the leader of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), al-Sharaa, under the name "Abu Mohammed al-Golani", joined the al-Qaida group, then led by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, in 2003, Associated Press reported.
As a member of al-Qaida, he fought against the American forces in Iraq but was held by US troops in al-Taji prison in 2005. But he was released after five years, al-Sharaa mentioned in an old interview with PBS.
What was Ahmed al-Sharaa's name when he was arrested in Iraq?
According to the Iraqi media outlet 'Sabereen News', Ahmed al-Sharaa (or back-then Abu Mohammed al-Golani) was held in al-Taji prison in Iraq and he was allegedly received under the name "Amjad Muzaffar Hussein al-Naimi".
The news agency shared alleged documents showing the date al-Golani arrived and the Iraqi prison official who signed his papers. It wrote on X: "Abu Muhammad al-Julani (Amjad Muzaffar Hussein al-Naimi) has been received at the Iraqi Correctional Service in Taji Prison, signed by the recipient, Lieutenant Firas Mujbil Nima."
