![]() ![]() ![]() Ba’thism, a particular doctrine of Arab nationalism, has been an important political ideology in both countries. There are numerous similarities between the situation facing religious minorities in Iraq and Syria. ![]() For example, Syria was one of the few Arab states to support Iran during the Iran-Iraq War and Syria allowed Allied forces to launch attacks on Iraq from Syrian territory during the First Gulf War. Those leading each country faced the challenge of governing and maintaining control of a single entity that was uncomfortable within its own borders and rife with ethnic, religious and social divisions.ĭespite being neighbours and sharing some historical, religious and cultural identities, the relationship between Iraq and Syria has been poor for much of the two states’ existence. The creation of these states based on artificial borders, which primarily served the interests of the colonisers, caused dissent among the populations and the ruling elites, whose traditional positions were usurped. ![]() It was the first time that these geographical entities had existed as states governed from the capitals of Damascus and Baghdad, respectively. The Sykes-Picot Agreement, negotiated between Britain and France, led to the creation of modern-day Syria and Iraq. The collapse of the Ottoman Empire at the end of the First World War gave European powers an opportunity to expand into the Middle East. “People in Kobani were butchered, and not only by Daesh but by their neighbours.” “I lived with my neighbours for 40 years, and all of a sudden they pointed at me with their weapons.” “Before the war there were no problems, we were like brothers, very close to Muslim neighbours and friends.” ![]()
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