Iraq Forms Security Crisis Cell to Coordinate with Syria

Iraqi soldiers deployed along a concrete barrier stretching across parts of the border with Syria. (Security media)
Iraqi soldiers deployed along a concrete barrier stretching across parts of the border with Syria. (Security media)
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Iraq Forms Security Crisis Cell to Coordinate with Syria

Iraqi soldiers deployed along a concrete barrier stretching across parts of the border with Syria. (Security media)
Iraqi soldiers deployed along a concrete barrier stretching across parts of the border with Syria. (Security media)

Iraq has established a “security crisis cell” to coordinate with Syria’s new administration, a government source revealed. While the Iraqi military denied reports of clashes along the border, a local official in the Anbar province confirmed the killing of militants in a preemptive operation.

Amid concerns over potential ISIS infiltrations, Iraq’s Joint Operations Command stressed that the situation remains “completely stable.”

In a statement, it said: “There have been no infiltrations or clashes along the Iraqi-Syrian border. Our security forces, across various units and specializations, maintain full control, reinforced with advanced surveillance and monitoring capabilities.”

Iraqi authorities continue efforts to secure the 600-kilometer border with Syria as part of their broader counterterrorism strategy. The Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) recently announced the deployment of units at seven key positions near the border, equipped with weapons and thermal surveillance technology.

To enhance security coordination, Iraq has formed a national crisis cell tasked with monitoring developments in Syria and managing border security measures.

The cell includes Defense Minister Thabet Mohammed Al-Abbasi, Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein, Intelligence Chief Hamid Al-Shatri, Sovereignty Alliance leader Khamis Al-Khanjar, and Iraq’s acting ambassador to Damascus Yassin Al-Hujaimi.

According to the source, the crisis cell operates under direct supervision of Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, with no actions or decisions taken without his approval.

The inclusion of Sunni politician Khamis Al-Khanjar is reportedly aimed at facilitating communication with Syria’s new leadership, headed by interim President Ahmed Al-Sharaa.

Iraqi political sources suggest that Al-Khanjar, who maintains strong ties with Türkiye’s government, has direct contact with Syria’s new administration and has visited Damascus multiple times following the collapse of Bashar Al-Assad’s regime in December.

The source added that Iraq and Syria’s strategic position—bordering Türkiye, Iran, Jordan, and Lebanon—creates shared security and political challenges. The complex security situation in both countries makes the region highly susceptible to regional and international interventions.

Saad Al-Mohammadi, head of Anbar’s security committee, assured that “the security situation along the Syrian border is completely stable, with strong defensive fortifications in place.”

He stated that Iraqi border forces are operating “with high efficiency to prevent smuggling and infiltration attempts.” He also confirmed that two militants were recently killed in a preemptive operation, highlighting the ongoing counterterrorism efforts.

The Iraq-Syria border remains a critical security concern due to its open desert terrain, which militant groups have historically exploited for smuggling and cross-border movements.

In response, Iraqi authorities have intensified military fortifications, particularly in Anbar, which spans 605 kilometers along the Syrian border.



Israel Attacks Yemeni Ports, Warns That Houthi Leader Is a Target

Smoke billows after Israeli strikes on Hodeidah port, Yemen, July 21, 2024. (Reuters file)
Smoke billows after Israeli strikes on Hodeidah port, Yemen, July 21, 2024. (Reuters file)
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Israel Attacks Yemeni Ports, Warns That Houthi Leader Is a Target

Smoke billows after Israeli strikes on Hodeidah port, Yemen, July 21, 2024. (Reuters file)
Smoke billows after Israeli strikes on Hodeidah port, Yemen, July 21, 2024. (Reuters file)

Israel struck Yemen's Red Sea ports of Hodeidah and Salif on Friday, continuing its campaign to degrade Houthi military capabilities and warning that the group's top leader, Abdul Malik al-Houthi, could be targeted if attacks on Israel persist.

The Houthis have continued to fire missiles at Israel in what they say is solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, although they have agreed to halt attacks on US ships.

Israel has carried out retaliatory strikes in response, including one on May 6 that damaged Yemen's main airport in Sanaa and killed several people.

On Friday, the Israeli military said the ports of Hodeidah and Salif were being used to transfer weapons, reiterating its warnings to residents of those areas to evacuate.

Residents in Hodeidah said they heard four loud booms and saw smoke rising from the port following the Israeli strikes.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a joint statement they would hunt down the Houthis' top leader, Abdul Malik al-Houthi.

"If the Houthis continue to fire missiles at the State of Israel, they will be severely harmed, and we will also hurt the leaders," they said, adding that al-Houthi could join the list of militant figures killed by Israel, such as Hamas' Yahya Sinwar and Hezbollah's Hassan Nasrallah.

The Houthis are part of Iran's so-called "Axis of Resistance" against Israeli and US interests in the Middle East, alongside Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Since the start of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023, the Houthis have launched dozens of missile and drone attacks toward Israel, most of which have been intercepted or landed short.