Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa will not attend the Arab League summit in Baghdad this weekend, Syrian state media said on Monday, after Iraq's invitation sparked controversy over the potential return of the rebel-turned-statesman who fought in Iraq and was imprisoned, Reuters reported, citing BTA.
Syria's delegation to the summit on Saturday will be led by Foreign Minister Assad al-Shibani, state-run Ekhbariya television reported, without giving a reason for Sharaa's absence.
The summit is expected to focus on the reconstruction of Gaza and the Palestinian issue.
Sharaa's decision highlights the mixed Syria has made a name for itself in establishing ties across the region since former President Bashar al-Assad was ousted last year. Sharaa quickly found his way to the Sunni-majority Gulf Arab states of Saudi Arabia and Qatar, but has been more cautious with other countries where Iran has strong influence, such as Iraq, which has a Shiite majority.
Sharaa fought for "al-Qaeda" in Iraq after the U.S.-led invasion in 2003. He was imprisoned there for more than five years before being released for lack of evidence in 2011, according to a senior Iraqi security official.
He then founded an "al-Qaeda" branch in Iraq in 2011, in Syria, breaking away in 2016 to form what became Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the group that toppled Assad.
Last month, Iraq's prime minister invited Sharaa to the summit, drawing criticism from mainly Shiite Muslim factions who accuse Sharaa of orchestrating attacks on Shiites.