The Polarization of Iraqi Sunnis: Abu Risha’s Arrest Warrant and Its Impact on Anbar Province

2023-06-04 01:43:05

Abu Risha’s arrest warrant exacerbates the polarization in the Iraqi Sunni scene

Shortly following the prominent Iraqi politician Rafie al-Issawi, former deputy prime minister and minister of finance, returned to Anbar province, signs of escalation began in the Sunni scene, starting from Anbar to the rest of the Sunni-majority western provinces of Iraq.

Although the political conflicts in Iraq have turned in recent years into conflicts within the ethnic and sectarian components (Shia – Sunni – Kurdish) following they were conflicts between the components, each level of these conflicts has its contexts that differ from the other.

Shiites, the conflict was resolved in favor of the coordination framework forces following the biggest rival of these forces, the Sadrist movement led by Muqtada al-Sadr, announced its withdrawal from Parliament, and the political scene later, despite repeated calls for a return.

As a Kurd, the conflict between the two Kurdish parties (the Kurdistan Democratic Party led by Massoud Barzani and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan headed by Pavel Talabani) continues, and is even getting more complicated following it started to reflect on the relationship of both parties with the center or the federal state in Baghdad.

Sunni, while the Sunni house during the period following the elections in late 2021 was the most cohesive among the Iraqi parties, but disputes soon began to break out between its main parties.

The Sunni disputes began over the position of Speaker of Parliament, which was obtained by the young Sunni leader, Muhammad al-Halbousi, following the 2018 elections, following he was overwhelmingly ahead of his Sunni rivals. During the 2021 elections, he was re-elected for a second term in the House of Representatives following achieving a major political alliance, the “Sovereignty Alliance”, in partnership with politician and businessman Khamis al-Khanjar, leader of the “Resolve Alliance”.

However, following the formation of the current government at the end of 2022, signs of disagreement emerged within the Sunni house, following disagreements within the “Resolve Alliance”, following the withdrawal of some of its parties to form a parallel political alliance called “Azm” led by politician, deputy and businessman Muthanna al-Samarrai.

While competition and even conflict within some western Sunni provinces remained largely limited between his leadership, he opened up to all possibilities in Anbar province, which seemed to be the capital of Sunni decision-making. Parliament Speaker Muhammad al-Halbousi, who is the leader of the Taqaddam party, which won the majority of parliamentary votes from within the Sunni community, is from Anbar Province.

While his alliance with al-Khanjar, who belongs to the same Anbar province, seemed to be a source of strength for both of them, things began to take a different course following less than a month ago he announced an alliance under the name of “sovereignty” without including al-Halbousi in his ranks.

Not only that, the most prominent Sunni leaders who were outside Iraq and sparked widespread controversy over the past years are from Anbar Province, such as Sheikh Ali Hatem Al-Suleiman and the Sunni politician Rafi Al-Issawi.

And both men who were wanted by the judiciary were the same as Khamis al-Khanjar, prior to his return in late 2018 and the completion of his cases in the courts, and then his participation in the elections. They returned last year for Ali al-Sulaiman and regarding two months ago for al-Issawi.

Although Ali al-Hatem al-Sulaiman, following a series of fiery statements once morest a number of his former opponents in Anbar, including al-Halbousi himself and the leader of the “Anbar Awakening” Ahmed Abu Risha, he has been silent for some time following he reconciled with both al-Halbousi and Abu Risha.

Al-Halbousi with the elders of the tribes of Anbar Province last month (Iraqi Parliament)

As for Rafie al-Issawi, who was accused of terrorism during the era of former Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, he has recently returned amid indications that he will lead the political movement in Anbar Province in the future, driven by Iraqi political forces, some of which are Shiite, as is the case with those who have become today the most prominent opponents of al-Halbousi. In Anbar, which is Satam Abu Risha.

Abu Risha is the son of the founder of the “Iraq Awakenings,” Abd al-Sattar Abu Risha, who managed to expel the al-Qaeda organization from Anbar Province in 2007, but the organization managed to assassinate him, and his brother Ahmed Abu Risha took his place. The brother Abu Risha is still a strong ally of Al-Halbousi, despite the fact that his nephew Sattam stands once morest Al-Halbousi completely.

Although Sattam Abu Risha was accused of being pushed once morest al-Halbousi by some armed Shiite factions, which have clear influence in major Sunni provinces, threatening al-Halbousi’s authority to the extent that he might be removed from office as some parties plan, the surprise came when an arrest warrant was recently issued. For the sake of Abi Risha.

In parallel with Abu Risha’s movements prior to the issuance of his arrest warrant on charges of terrorism, the Unified Anbar Alliance is trying to exploit these differences in its favor with the aim of overthrowing Al-Halbousi.

The arrest warrant issued once morest Sattam Abu Risha on charges of terrorism included a number of other members of his family. This is something that might ignite not only a political crisis, but a societal crisis within the province, which might be exploited by many groups and parties from outside the province with the aim of settling scores with parties from within the Sunni house in preparation for further attempts to weaken it.

In this context, Professor of International Media at the Iraqi University, Dr. Fadel Al-Badrani, said in an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat that “Anbar is a qualitative geographic and political force affecting the country, so any internal disputes in it will reflect negatively on everyone.”

Al-Badrani adds, “Accordingly, Anbar is on the verge of intimate party competition as we approach the date of the provincial elections.”

Al-Badrani confirms that “three political blocs have begun to form, which are (Takadam) led by Muhammad al-Halbousi, (Anbar Alliance) led by Rafie al-Issawi, and (Sovereignty) led by Khamis al-Khanjar,” noting that “these three parties will share the next Anbar Council, and that goes beyond interaction.” With partisan forces in Baghdad, and this gives us a new variable in the presence of influential leaders, and we will wait for the alliances that will take place following running the election experience, because no party alone will be able to form the local government.

Regarding the arrest warrant issued once morest Sattam Abu Risha, Al-Badrani says, “This issue will remain confined and unaffected by the political reality of Anbar, because Abu Risha is not affiliated with a political alliance, and I think that there will be compromises and a settlement of the matter soon.”

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