Former Iraqi PM Haider Al-Abadi expresses hope for unity and peace in Syria

BAGHDAD — Haider Al-Abadi, head of the Victory Alliance, voiced optimism Sunday for a brighter future in Syria following the regime’s collapse, expressing hope for unity, freedom, justice, and peace for the Syrian people.

“A new day has begun in Syria. We hope it will be a day of unity, freedom, justice, and peace for its people,” Al-Abadi wrote in a social media post.

Syria’s capital erupted in celebration Sunday morning as rebels, led by Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, declared the fall of President Bashar al-Assad after entering Damascus in a rapid offensive that began on November 27, capturing key cities like Aleppo, Hama, and Homs; extraordinary scenes included rebel fighters announcing Assad’s ouster on state television, with reports from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights claiming the longtime leader had fled.

Reflecting on Syria’s past struggles and its potential for renewal, Al-Abadi reaffirmed his stance against tyranny, terrorism, and chaos. “As I have said before, and I repeat today: just as tyranny cannot endure, neither can terrorism, chaos, or conflict prevail,” he said.

Al-Abadi emphasized the deep connections and shared opportunities between Iraq and Syria, urging both nations to move past conflict toward peace and reconstruction: “Between Iraq and Syria, there are immense commonalities that can be leveraged for the good of both peoples. Our nations are weary of wars and conflicts and long for an era of peace and progress.”

He concluded with a call for collective action to end regional strife. “Let us all work together to extinguish the fires of strife, conflict, and war, for the benefit of our nations,” Al-Abadi said.

Al-Abadi’s comments and stance stand in stark contrast to those of many other Iraqi Shia leaders, who have predominantly labeled the Syrian rebels as terrorists and expressed strong support for President Bashar Al-Assad. This is particularly true of Iran-backed militias, which have supported Assad’s regime during the conflict.