Syrian forces deploy at Al-Bukamal border crossing with Iraq For first time since fall of Assad

Syrian authorities have deployed regular military forces, alongside armed militants, at the Al-Bukamal border crossing, marking the first such presence since the overthrow of former President Bashar al-Assad, Iraqi state television reported on December 19.

The deployment, opposite the Iraqi border post of Al-Qa'im in Anbar province, comes amid rising tensions along the 620-kilometre border between Iraq and Syria, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

Iraqi TV footage from Al-Qa'im showed Syrian soldiers in standard military uniforms and red berets, as well as militants in the distinctive attire of armed groups, stationed at the crossing.

The number of deployed forces on the Syrian side was estimated between 100 and 200 personnel, including soldiers and militants armed with rifles. On the Iraqi side, Iraqi military forces, supported by two tanks, were seen at the entrance to the Al-Qa'im post. No direct contact was reported between the two forces.

In the midst of the military build-up, several Syrian families were observed leaving Iraq voluntarily, returning to Syria after the fall of Assad. The displacement of Syrian families to Iraq, which began following Assad’s ouster, has been part of broader movement patterns in the region.

Iraq has reinforced its border with Syria in recent years, stationing thousands of troops, Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), and security measures, including concrete barriers, barbed wire, and thermal cameras, as part of a strategy to prevent cross-border insurgent activity and protect its territory.

By Aghakazim Guliyev