DAMASCUS/BAGHDAD (Dispatches) – Syrian President Bashar al-Assad says the assassinated commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC)’s Quds Force Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani foiled the U.S. plot to sow discord in the region.
Assad’s remarks came in a message, which was read out by his media advisor, Buthaina Shaaban, at a ceremony held in the Syrian capital, Damascus, to commemorate the 2nd anniversary of the assassination of General Soleimani and his companions in a U.S. drone strike outside Baghdad International Airport.
“During every mission, Martyr Soleimani endeavored to destroy the pillars of the American strategy to sow discord and foment sedition” in the region, read the message.
In the message, Assad noted that General Soleimani threatened the “interests of Washington and its allies in the region,” adding that enemies were aware of General Soleimani’s threat to their criminal projects.
“Martyr Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis were the cornerstone of confronting the enemies,” the Syrian president said, stressing that the enemies were afraid of Soleimani turning into a model in the region and across the world.
Emphasizing that the United States committed a crime that indicated its fear of the spread of General Soleimani’s model, Assad said, “We must remain loyal to Soleimani’s approach and work to strengthen cooperation between Syria and Iran.”
Meanwhile, Iraq’s President Barham Salih said General Soleimani rushed to the Arab country’s assistance at a critical time in the face of the Daesh terrorist group.
Salih made the remarks on Wednesday at a ceremony held in Baghdad by Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) or Hashd al-Sha’abi, marking the second anniversary of anti-terror commander.
“Today, we have gathered to pay tribute to the great victory leaders who confronted the terrorist Daesh. We proudly remember the victory over Daesh and the foiling of its ominous plot. We achieved a triumph over Daesh thanks to the fatwa of the [religious] authority and the support of Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani Sistani,” he said, referring to the religious decree by Iraq’s prominent Shia cleric in June 2014 that led to the establishment of the PMU.
“Along with our armed forces and citizens, Martyr Qassem Soleimani, the great Iranian commander, participated in the fight against Daesh and helped save our country from a dangerous terrorist campaign that had entangled us. He came to Iraq in difficult circumstances to defend the country, along with the children of Iraq, against Daesh terrorism,” he added.
PMU chief Falih al-Fayyadh also addressed the event, saying General Soleimani was “the guest of Iraq and the supporter of its people.”
He also noted that Washington’s assassination operation “must have consequences for the nature of military relations with the United States.”
“We renew our allegiance and declare our loyalty with the martyred commanders. We will be an impenetrable barrier against terrorism and will work with the government to achieve our right to expel foreign forces from the country,” Fayyadh stressed.
Meanwhile, Iraqi Interior Minister Othman al-Ghanmi read out a message sent by Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi to the ceremony.
“The crime of assassinating the commanders, who achieved victory against Daesh, would always remain alive in the history. The martyrdom of the commanders will be a beacon of freedom for all the people who wish for freedom and peace,” the message read.
“These commanders were the role model for every soldier who fought against Daesh terrorism. Their path of defeating terrorism will be continued.”
General Soleimani and his Iraqi comrade Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the second-in-command of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), were martyred along with their companions in an American drone strike authorized by U.S. ex-President Donald Trump near Baghdad International Airport on January 3, 2020.
Both commanders were highly revered across the Middle East because of their key role in fighting the Daesh terrorist group in the region, particularly in Iraq and Syria.
Five days after the heinous crime, in a military operation codenamed Operation Martyr Soleimani, the IRGC launched a volley of ballistic missiles at the Ain al-Asad airbase in Iraq’s western province of Anbar.
Iran said missile strike was only a “first slap” in its process of taking “hard revenge” and that it would not rest under the U.S. military leaves the Middle East in disgrace.