
Qatar's Emir: Baghdad Summit outcomes should boost Arab unity
Shafaq News/ On Saturday, Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani expressed hope that the outcomes of the 34th Arab League Summit would translate into stronger Arab unity.
In a post on X, the Emir thanked Iraq for hosting the summit and praised Baghdad's role in fostering Arab consensus and joint action.
'The summit convened amid sensitive regional and global challenges that demand coordinated Arab and international responses,' he added, voicing optimism that the event's conclusions would advance integration across key sectors.
اجتمعنا اليوم في بغداد، في القمة العربية الـ34، والتي انعقدت في ظروف إقليمية ودولية تستوجب تعاونا عربيا ودوليا لحل أزماتها، ونأمل أن تنعكس مخرجات وقرارات القمة في تعزيز تضامننا العربي وترسيخ التكامل بين بلداننا في كافة مجالات التعاون القائم، شاكرين لجمهورية العراق الشقيقة جهودها… pic.twitter.com/AZD26Vlkrq
— تميم بن حمد (@TamimBinHamad) May 17, 2025
The Qatari official left the Iraqi capital shortly after meeting with Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, without delivering any speech during the summit. He did not provide any reasons for his early departure.
Al-Sudani also held separate discussions with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.
The Arab Summit officially began on Saturday in Baghdad, with the participation of six Arab heads of state, alongside several prime ministers, deputy prime ministers, and foreign ministers representing their countries.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Shafaq News
an hour ago
- Shafaq News
Israel strikes vehicle in southern Lebanon
Shafaq News - Beirut An Israeli drone strike targeted a vehicle in the southern Lebanese town of Mahrouna on Saturday evening, according to local media reports. The attack resulted in two deaths, including a woman. The Israeli military has yet to comment on the incident. The strike came shortly after a separate Israeli airstrike killed one person in a vehicle in Kounin village, Lebanon's Health Ministry confirmed. #عاجل 🔸جيش الدفاع قضى على مسؤول الصواريخ المضادة للدروع في منطقة بني جبيل لدى حزب الله الارهابي🔸هاجم جيش الدفاع في وقت سابق اليوم في منطقة كونين جنوب لبنان وقضى على الارهابي المدعو حسن محمد حمودي مسؤول الصواريخ المضادة للدروع في منطقة بنت جبيل في حزب الله.🔸خلال الحرب دفع… — افيخاي ادرعي (@AvichayAdraee) June 28, 2025 Despite the truce with Lebanon, Israeli air and artillery strikes have continued, with Lebanese authorities documenting over 3,000 ceasefire violations and reporting Israeli forces still stationed at five border positions.


Shafaq News
2 hours ago
- Shafaq News
Syria denies restrictions at Sayyida Zainab shrine
Shafaq News - Damascus On Saturday, Syria's Ministry of Religious Endowments dismissed as unfounded reports claiming the Sayyida Zainab shrine was closed or that Ashura rituals had been banned. The ministry's media office clarified to Shafaq News that the shrine remains open and that religious ceremonies continue as scheduled, following unverified social media posts circulating at the start of Muharram, alleging state-imposed restrictions. Sayyida Zainab, the granddaughter of the Prophet Muhammad and sister of Imam Hussein, is a revered figure in Shiite Islam. Her shrine in southern Damascus draws large numbers of pilgrims during Muharram — the first month of the Islamic calendar — when Shiite Muslims commemorate the killing of Imam Hussein at the Battle of Karbala in 680 CE. Ashura, observed on the tenth day of Muharram, is among the most significant dates in the Shiite religious calendar and attracts thousands of visitors to shrines like Sayyida Zainab's.


Shafaq News
2 hours ago
- Shafaq News
Source: Extremist fighters threaten Iraq-Syria border security
Shafaq News – Baghdad/ Damascus Iraqi security forces detected an unprecedented buildup by 'extremist factions' allegedly seeking to free foreign detainees from prisons near the Iraqi-Syrian frontier, a security source revealed on Saturday. The source told Shafaq News that Iraqi authorities have launched contingency plans and reinforced border security in response to the increased military activity, adding that joint forces are using thermal cameras and reconnaissance to monitor movements along the shared border. The official expressed fears that these factions could target high-value detainees held in Syrian camps, particularly Al-Hol, where several foreign commanders of extremist groups are imprisoned. Meanwhile, Iraq's State Support Alliance—a political bloc in the Council of Representatives comprising five to six deputies that aligns itself with and supports Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani—warned of continued foreign plots to destabilize border regions. Alliance member Ali Al-Fatlawi revealed to Shafaq News, 'We received intelligence that over 3,000 Afghan, Azeri, and Asian fighters are active in Syria, positioning to exploit vulnerabilities along the Iraqi-Syrian border.' Recent weeks have seen a rise in militant activity in both Iraq and Syria. Iraqi forces killed two ISIS operatives in Kirkuk last Wednesday, days after a suicide bomber linked to the group detonated explosives inside Mar Elias Church in Damascus. Observers acknowledge these incidents point to persistent sleeper cells operating on both sides of the border, which officially reopened on June 14. However, they believe the likelihood of ISIS regaining territorial control remains low due to local, regional, and international deterrents. ISIS captured large swathes of Iraqi territory in 2014, including the provinces of Nineveh, Saladin, and Al-Anbar, before being driven out by late 2017. In Syria, the group lost its final stronghold in Baghouz in March 2019 following a major campaign by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Despite territorial defeat