Iraq announces joint cooperation with SDF to secure border with Syria
ERBIL, KRI, Iraq (North Press) – The Iraqi Joint Operations Command announced on Wednesday its cooperation with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in pursuing sleeper cells of the Islamic State Organization (ISIS) and prevent their infiltration across Syria-Iraq border.
“There is cooperation with the SDF through the US-led Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS on an intelligence level to pursue terrorists and prevent their infiltration,” said Maj. Gen. Tahseen al-Khafaji in a statement to the Iraqi News Agency.
Al-Khafaji added that a similar coordination is taking place with the Syrian government for the same purposes.
On September 19, Iraqi Border Guard Forces Commander Lt. Gen. Hamid al-Husseini met with his Syrian counterpart Maj. Gen. Ghassan Mahmoud to discuss fortifying the 600-km Iraqi-Syrian border and thwarting any terrorist attempts.
Al-Khafaji said that the joint cooperation with the SDF made infiltrating the Iraqi borders “very difficult for terrorist groups.”
Speaking about Hawl Camp, in northeastern Syria, al-Khafaji said that the Iraqi security leadership has a “complete vision” of Hawl Camp, noting that “work continues to control and secure the Iraqi-Syrian border.”
Hawl Camp, located 45 kilometers east of Hasakah city, houses around 30.000 Iraqis and 25.000 of other nationalities. Most of the camp residents are the wives and children of ISIS militants who surrendered following defeat in their battle with the SDF in Baghouz in March 2019.
Al-Khafaji noted that they boosted “the defensive lines on the border with Syria, where two defensive lines have been established: the first is represented by the command of border guards, and the second is represented by the Iraqi army, in addition to concrete barriers and watchtowers.”