Syrian Military and Armed Groups Deployment on the Iraqi Border
In a significant development, the official Iraqi television announced on Thursday that Syrian authorities have for the first time deployed enhanced military forces, including groups of armed militants, at the Al-Boukamal Syrian border crossing opposite Al-Qaim in Iraq’s Anbar province, approximately 550 kilometers west of Iraq.
Iraqi television coverage from the Al-Qaim border checkpoint described the “deployment of Syrian military forces dressed in unified military uniforms with red caps, alongside other elements from armed groups wearing militia attire, marking a first since the overthrow of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.”
The report detailed that the number of troops on the Syrian side of the border ranges from 100 to 200 soldiers and militants equipped with military rifles. Meanwhile, on the Iraqi side, two tanks led the military presence at the entrance of the Al-Qaim border crossing.
There have been no reported incidents of contact between Iraqi and Syrian forces. Amid this military buildup, several Syrian families were observed leaving Iraq voluntarily from the Iraqi side of the border.
It is noted that many Syrian families who were residing in Iraq returned to Syria after Assad’s
ousting. Conversely, Iraq has welcomed many Iraqis returning from Syrian territories, including
numerous trucks crossing on both sides.
Previously, Iraq had deployed thousands of military, security, and Popular Mobilization Forces
along the over 620-kilometer border strip with Syria, bolstered by security measures such as
concrete barriers, barbed wire, a large security trench, aerial surveillance, and thermal cameras.
This deployment suggests a strategic shift in regional security dynamics, highlighting the ongoing
complexities and tensions at this crucial border point.
