Iraqi Interior Minister Abdul Amir al-Shammari warned that any approach by ISIS elements to his country's border with Syria would be met with gunfire.
This came after the Syrian government accused the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) of releasing ISIS members who had been detained in al-Shaddadi prison, which the SDF operates in the Hasakah governorate in northeastern Syria, near the Iraqi border. The Syrian Interior Ministry later announced the recapture of 81 of the escaped prisoners.
In statements to the Iraqi News Agency (INA) published Monday evening, al-Shammari said that Iraq is monitoring the situation in Syria daily and had anticipated these events three years ago.
He added, "We have reinforced our international borders, especially with Syria, and have also dug a 620-kilometer-long trench along the border."
He also noted that Iraq has thermal cameras operating day and night at border crossings, adding that the military units stationed along the border are sufficiently equipped and staffed.
The Iraqi Interior Minister affirmed that all security efforts along the Iraqi border are supported by army aviation and the air force, and that the border is fully secured.
On Monday, Iraqi Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sadr called on all branches of the official Iraqi security forces to raise their level of readiness and remain vigilant. He also urged the Iraqi people to be cautious and report any suspicious activity related to the security situation in Syria.
Al-Sadr further urged military and security leaders to inspect the borders and crossings, to be diligent in their duties, and to thoroughly investigate the presence of Syrian nationals on Iraqi soil.
The commander of the Popular Mobilization Forces in Anbar also stated that the Iraqi-Syrian border is fully secured and that security coordination is at its highest level.
Al Jazeera
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