Syria regime delegation in Iraq for 'secret military talks'

A Syrian delegation has reportedly been holding secret meeting across Iraq with high-ranking officials to discuss Shia militias possibly fighting in Syria after the recapture of Mosul from the Islamic State group [IS].

The delegation, which is made up of regime military and intelligence officers has been staying a Baghdad hotel near the Green Zone after arriving last Friday, Iraqi officials told The New Arab on Tuesday.

"The delegation has met with various leaders of the loyalist militias, clerics, religious leaders in the holy cities of Najaf and Karbala, as well as Iraqi military leaders," an Iraqi minister, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said.

"Staff of the Iranian embassy have taken part in some of the meetings, most of which have taken place at the homes of Iraqi officials and at the delegation's hotel,"

The minister added that Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has not met with the delegation, however, leaders from his Islamic Dawa Party have been present.

A prominent Iraqi politician close to the Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilisation Units) paramilitary forces told The New Arab via telephone that delegation discussed deploying PMU troops to Syria after the battles for Mosul and Tal Afar come to an end to help take back Deir al-Zour, Raqqa, Albu Kamal and other areas from IS.

"The delegation said they had Supreme Leader of Iran Ali Khamenei blessings for this move, which was a cause of embarrassment for Abadi as he considers himself in charge of the militias," the politician said.

"The PMU would enter the Syrian arena and take part in the fighting against terrorist groups separately from other Iraqi militiamen backing the Assad regime," he added.

The paramilitary umbrella dominated by Shia militias loyal to Tehran have been accused of carrying out sectarian atrocities against the Sunni Arab community in areas recaptured from IS.

Last month, Iraq's parliament voted to grant full legal status to the PMU, effectively making the group's fighters the country's reservists.

PMU forces said on Tuesday they had retaken three more villages southwest of Mosul, completing another phase in operations aimed at cutting the jihadists' link to Syria.

Pro-government forces launched an assault on October 17 to eject IS from its last Iraqi stronghold. They have taken almost half of eastern Mosul.