Based on an analysis of 550 X / Twitter posts trending in Iraq on March 10, 2025, Miqrab AI found that the discourse was overwhelmingly dominated by the escalating sectarian violence in Syria, particularly the massacres targeting the Alawite community in the coastal region. Accounts expressed widespread horror and condemnation, sharing graphic reports and videos attributed to forces led by Ahmed al-Sharaa (formerly Abu Mohammad al-Jolani). A parallel major narrative was the surprising political development of an integration agreement between the new Syrian government and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which was interpreted by users as a step towards national unity. Discussions also frequently covered the precarious situation of Syrian refugees in Iraq and neighboring countries, with calls for both their protection and deportation. Domestically, a high-engagement post from Raghad Saddam Hussein threatening legal action against a detractor garnered significant attention, while other conversations touched upon Iraqi-Iranian relations and internal political affairs.

Today’s Top 10 X (Twitter) Trends in Iraq:

1. Massacres of Alawites in Syrian Coastal Region

The most dominant topic on Iraqi X / Twitter is the reports of widespread massacres and sectarian violence against the Alawite community in Syria’s coastal provinces. Accounts are sharing graphic content and condemning what they describe as genocide. Othman Al-Mukhtar (Post Impact: 88%) describes the situation as an unprecedented act of religious and sectarian persecution by the new government. Abbas Al-Ardawi (Post Impact: 27%) accuses “Jolani’s gangs” of killing Alawite civilian prisoners and burying them in mass graves to hide the crime, using the hashtag #AlawiteHolocaust. Similarly, Sabereen News (Post Impact: 8%) shares a video of Syrians demanding international protection from the “genocide.” Zaid Benjamin (Post Impact: 18%) quotes the Washington Post, stating that “Sunni militants were going from house to house in the Syrian coast, killing the occupants in summary executions and looting what they could find.”

2. Raghad Saddam Hussein Threatens Legal and Tribal Action

Raghad Saddam Hussein, daughter of the late Iraqi president, issued a stern warning that has captured significant attention. In a high-impact post, Raghad Saddam Hussein (Post Impact: 100%) announced that an individual who held responsibilities with her father before and after 2003 is now spreading “fictional stories, accounts, and false testimonies” on television and social media in exchange for “money.” She stated that this person will soon be held accountable “legally and tribally” for his “lies and poisonous rumors.” The post prompted reactions from other users, such as Ahmed Salim (Post Impact: 7%), who commented with surprise on the mention of tribal customs in her threat.

3. Syrian Government and Kurdish SDF Sign Integration Agreement

A major political development in Syria is being widely reported: an agreement between the new Syrian government led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) led by Mazloum Abdi. The deal reportedly involves integrating the SDF into the Syrian state and military institutions. Mashaan al-Jabouri (Post Impact: 8%) calls it a “historic agreement” that emphasizes Syrian unity and rejects partition. Several accounts, including Omar Abdul Sattar Mahmoud (Post Impact: 29%) and Rusly Al-Maliki (Post Impact: 24%), shared videos of celebrations in Raqqa and Hasakah, with people سجود (prostrating) in thanks for the peace deal. Shaho Al-Qaradaghi (Post Impact: 6%) also shared a photo of the signed agreement.

4. Plight of Syrian Refugees in Iraq and the Region

The situation of Syrian refugees is a prominent theme, with accounts highlighting their persecution in Iraq and neighboring countries. Othman Al-Mukhtar (Post Impact: 88%) reports on the arrest and abuse of Syrian refugees in Iraq for displaying their country’s new flag or pictures of their president on social media, blaming the “sectarian religious rulings of al-Sudani’s government.” In a different context, Hayder (Post Impact: 49%) notes that the hashtag #Deport_Syrians_is_a_security_demand is trending in Egypt. Meanwhile, Mahdi Majeed (Post Impact: 23%) shares a video allegedly showing Hezbollah militias burning the tents of Sunni Syrian refugees in Lebanon. Some users, like Ahmed Al-Thawaq (Post Impact: 17%), express support for deporting “extremist” Syrians from Iraq.

5. Syrian Actor Bashar Ismail Loses Family in Massacres

The personal tragedy of Syrian actor Bashar Ismail is being shared as a symbol of the violence in the coastal region. Dr. Hussein Al-Safi (Post Impact: 29%) posted a video of the actor addressing al-Jolani and questioning the justification for the violence. Other accounts, including Sabereen News (Post Impact: 20%) and Ahmed Abdul Sada (Post Impact: 8%), reported that Ismail announced the killing of 15 members of his family, including a five-year-old child, at the hands of “Jolani’s gangs.” This news is being used to highlight the targeting of civilians in what is described as organized sectarian cleansing.

6. Extremist Rhetoric and Threats Against Alawites

Specific instances of extremist rhetoric and direct threats against the Alawite community are circulating online, causing alarm. Hayder (Post Impact: 43%) shared a video showing a man holding a sword next to the Syrian Minister of Defense, threatening to cut off the heads of those he called “Nusayris,” a derogatory term for Alawites. The same account also posted a video from a Syrian volunteer group in Hama that wrote on dates and yogurt distributed for Iftar, “The Alawite has the right to live in peace, but in the grave.” Ahmed Abdul Sada (Post Impact: 10%) shared another video of what he calls a security leader in “Jolani’s gangs” who is an “extremist terrorist” calling for the extermination of Alawites.

7. Mashaan al-Jabouri Accuses Figure of Orchestrating Ambushes

Politician Mashaan al-Jabouri made a direct accusation against an individual named Mohammed Jaber, who he says resides in Moscow and Baghdad. Mashaan al-Jabouri (Post Impact: 45%) claims Jaber formerly led a militia loyal to Bashar al-Assad before being expelled from Syria. He accuses Jaber of giving instructions to set up ambushes against security forces heading to the Syrian coast, which led to the deaths of hundreds of security and military personnel. Jabouri calls this a “fully documented crime, not just incitement.” Another account, Abbas Shamsuddin (Post Impact: 11%), mentioned Mashaan al-Jabouri himself as one of the “Sunni hawks” who had previously incited the “extermination of Alawites.”

8. Criticism of Iran’s Influence and Position

Several prominent voices on Iraqi X / Twitter have directed criticism towards Iran, questioning its power and influence in the region amidst the recent changes. Faiq Al-Sheikh Ali (Post Impact: 28%) dismissed Iran as nothing more than a “paper bogeyman,” arguing that if the US and its allies were to attack, they would turn Iran’s nuclear facilities to “ash.” Mithal Al-Alusi (Post Impact: 17%) wrote from Washington, urging Iraqis to unite against “Iranian injustice” and what he calls the “Iranian Framework,” suggesting Iraqis must choose between “Trump’s America” or “Khamenei’s nuclear [program].” Omar Al-Janabi (Post Impact: 6%) claims that peace in Syria means “wailing and mourning in Iran” and that Iran is now exposed.

9. Calls for Protection of Religious Minorities

Amid the news of sectarian violence in Syria, some commentators are making broader calls for the protection of all religious minorities in the region. Dr. Hamid Abdullah (Post Impact: 37%) wrote a post defending those who stand up for minorities, stating, “If defending the Yazidis, Sabeans, Baha’is, Christians, Alawites, and Druze who are being captured or killed by the barbarians of the Middle Ages is called sectarianism, then how noble are those sectarians and how honorable they are!” This sentiment reflects a fear that the events in Syria could have repercussions for other minority groups across the Middle East. Ahmed Abdul Sada (Post Impact: 4%) specifically calls on Alawites to demand an independent state under international protection.

10. Focus on Iraqi Military and Industrial Development

Shifting to domestic affairs, there is discussion about Iraq’s industrial and military capabilities. Hayder (Post Impact: 9%) shared a report from Iraq’s Military Industrialization Authority, which announced it has begun producing drones, manufactured 63 million light ammunition rounds, delivered 600 armored vehicles to security forces, and is working to develop heavy artillery and mortars. In another post, the same account highlighted progress on a major infrastructure project in Basra: the successful placement of the first section of an underwater tunnel connecting the port of Faw to Umm Qasr, described as the first of its kind in the Middle East.