United Council of Sheikhs and Notables of Basra and Iraq
{{Short description|Tribal committee in Basra}}
{{Unreliable sources|date=April 2025}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox militant organization
| name = United Council of Sheikhs and Notables of Basra and Iraq
| native_name = المجلس الموحد لشيوخ وأعيان البصرة والعراق
| image = United Council of Sheikhs and Notables of Basra and Iraq Logo.png
| dates = 24 December 2014 – present
| country = {{Flag|Iraq}}
| headquarters = Basra
| ideology = Shia Islamism
| partof = Basra Provincial Council
| opponents = {{flag|Syria}}
| war = {{tree list}}
{{tree list/end}}
| website =
}}
The United Council of Sheikhs and Notables of Basra and Iraq (Arabic: المجلس الموحد لشيوخ وأعيان البصرة والعراق) is an Arab tribal group opposed to the Syrian transitional government.{{Cite web |title=Iraq's Basra Tribes: No to sectarian violence in Syria |url=https://shafaq.com/en/Iraq/Iraq-s-Basra-Tribes-No-to-sectarian-violence-in-Syria |access-date=25 April 2025 |website=Shafaq News |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Dana Taib Menmy ــ Iraq |title=Iraqi tribal leaders call for volunteers to fight Syrian army |url=https://www.newarab.com/news/iraqi-tribal-leaders-call-volunteers-fight-syrian-army |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250321092904/https://www.newarab.com/news/iraqi-tribal-leaders-call-volunteers-fight-syrian-army |archive-date=21 March 2025 |access-date=25 April 2025 |work=The New Arab |language=en-EN}}{{Cite web |title=Institute for the Study of War |url=https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/iran-update-march-18-2025 |access-date=25 April 2025 |website=Institute for the Study of War |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=18 March 2025 |title=فيديو: “مجلس شيوخ البصرة والعراق” يطالب بقطع العلاقات مع سوريا – مؤتمر صحفي |url=https://964media.com/527585/ |access-date=25 April 2025 |website=+964 |language=ar}}{{Cite web |title=تشكيل عشائري عراقي يدعو لفتح باب التطوع لمواجهة "الجولاني" |url=https://shafaq.com/ar/%D8%B3%DB%8C%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%A9/%D8%AA%D8%B4%D9%83%D9%8A%D9%84-%D8%B9%D8%B4%D8%A7-%D8%B1%D9%8A-%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%82%D9%8A-%D9%8A%D8%AF%D8%B9%D9%88-%D9%84%D9%81%D8%AA%D8%AD-%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%A8-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%B7%D9%88%D8%B9-%D9%84%D9%85%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%AC%D9%87%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AC%D9%88%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%8A |access-date=25 April 2025 |website=شفق نيوز |language=ar}}
History
According to the group's own social networks, it was founded on 24 December 2014.{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/people/%D9%85%D8%AC%D9%84%D8%B3-%D8%B4%D9%8A%D9%88%D8%AE-%D9%88%D8%A3%D8%B9%D9%8A%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%B4%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%84-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A8%D8%B5%D8%B1%D8%A9/100077460093140/|title=مجلس شيوخ وأعيان شمال البصرة|website=Facebook}} On July 11, 2024 the Basra Provincial Council's Security Committee gave mandate to the group, to represent the entirety of Basra Governorate.{{Cite web |last=إنفوبلاس |date=28 July 2024 |title="دكة" البصرة تُجابه بتشكيل مجلس للعشائر.. هل تَخضع الأولى لإجراءات الثاني؟ |url=https://www.infoplusnetwork.com/news/local/%D8%AF%D9%83%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A8%D8%B5%D8%B1%D8%A9-%D8%AA%D8%AC%D8%A7%D8%A8%D9%87-%D8%A8%D8%AA%D8%B4%D9%83%D9%8A%D9%84-%D9%85%D8%AC%D9%84%D8%B3-%D9%84%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%B4%D8%A7%D8%A6%D8%B1-%D9%87%D9%84-%D8%AA%D8%AE%D8%B6%D8%B9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D9%88%D9%84%D9%89-%D9%84%D8%A5%D8%AC%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%A1%D8%A7%D8%AA |access-date=25 April 2025 |website=إنفوبلاس |language=ar-AR}} The group has received attention amid regional tensions, criticizing the Iraqi government for its perceived inaction in addressing instability in the Middle East, citing sectarian violence in Syria as a catalyst for its formation.
In its early activities, the council declared a mobilization effort in Baghdad, urging the Iraqi Government to adopt a stronger stance against Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a designated terrorist group operating in Syria. It further emphasized the readiness of Basrawi tribes to defend Iraqi holy sites, framing this as a response to regional instability. The council also advocated for the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) to be heavily armed, describing them as a necessary "protective shield" for Iraqi sovereignty.
In a controversial statement, the council accused Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan of empowering {{qi|takfiris and terrorist organizations in Syria,}} alleging that these states enabled HTS leader Abu Mohammad al-Julani's faction to commit {{qi|the most brutal crimes}}.
See also
Other Iraqi organizations against Syrian transitional government: