ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Iraq’s Former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki on Wednesday claimed that the rise of anti-government armed groups in Syria is a “foreign-backed” plot aimed at toppling Syria as a sovereign state, not only the government.

“The foreign-backed terrorist attacks in Syria were not a surprising event,” said Maliki, adding that any attacks on Syria’s sovereignty is “a completely condemned and denounced act.”

The former Iraqi premier claimed that the recent escalation in the neighboring country is part of Israel’s plot to undermine the unity of the region, stressing that the rebel groups’ attack was “only the beginning and starting point for dangerous strategic goals” which aim to topple the Syrian state, not only Bashar al-Assad’s regime

“Any disruption of Syria's stability and unity will affect the entire region… defending Syria’s unity is a defense for the entire region, and Iraq in particular, and we will not allow Iraq to be an arena for terrorist transgressions and challenges,” Maliki noted.

The veteran politician called on all Islamic nations, particularly Iraq, to stand by Syria and support the country so that it can “withstand this dangerous challenge politically, economically, and even security-wise and militarily.”

Syrian opposition armed groups, led by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), launched a surprise offensive against the Syrian army in Aleppo and Idlib countryside last week, triggering one of the bloodiest escalations in the Syrian civil war in years. The clashes have so far claimed the lives of over 600 people, according to a war monitor.

Iraqi officials have voiced concern over the escalations and their repercussions on Iraq.

The opposition's self-proclaimed Syrian Salvation Government (SSG) on Sunday issued a statement assuring the people and government of Iraq that they do not pose a threat to Iraq or other countries in the region, adding that they are committed to strengthening "brotherly ties" with neighboring Iraq and working toward shared interests, which it said required “continued cooperation and understanding” between the two sides.

Iraq on Monday deployed additional armored units to fortify its international borders, with the interior ministry claiming that the country’s borders with Syria are “impenetrable”.