Hello99 wrote: “Not true. The community in Bavel even had yeshivos that were open consecutively from before the destruction of the First Beis HaMikdash until Saddam Hussein closed them. Similarly Egypt had a community during the time of the Bayis Sheini. Neither of them originated in Spain, but they are referred to as “sefardim”.”
I do not know where you got the idea about the Yeshivos of Bavel because it contradicts a Gemara in Sukka (see ?????? ???”? ????? ?’ ?”?). And there certainly have not been Gedolei HaPoskim all that time in Iraq. The fact that Egypt had a a community does not say anything about if they has Yeshivos.