Ex-PM Nouri Al-Maliki calls for political process ‘without exclusion’ in Syria after regime falls

BAGHDAD — Nouri Al-Maliki, leader of the State of Law Coalition and former Iraqi prime minister, expressed ‘respect’ on Sunday for what he described as the “will of the Syrian people” in toppling the regime of Bashar Al-Assad. He called for the establishment of a Syrian state through an inclusive political process that involves all components of Syrian society.

“We respect the will of our brotherly Syrian people for change and for building their state through a political process that includes all segments of the Syrian population without marginalization or exclusion,” al-Maliki wrote in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Addressing his fellow Iraqis, al-Maliki urged unity and vigilance to preserve national integrity and political stability. “On this occasion, we call on our Iraqi people, as we called on our Syrian brothers, to remain united in all their components, safeguard the country and the political process, and reject any attempts to undermine Iraq’s national unity. Let us set an example of commitment to the state and the rule of law,” he stated.

Syria’s capital erupted in celebration Sunday morning as rebel groups, led by the Islamist Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham, declared the fall of President Bashar Al-Assad after entering Damascus in a rapid offensive that began on Nov. 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.