Middle East
Babakir Zebari, military advisor at the Kurdistan Region Presidency, speaking to Rudaw on November 4, 2024. Photo: Rudaw
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The latest escalation in Syria between opposition militants and the regime forces will not pose a threat to Iraq and the Kurdistan Region as borders are well secured, an advisor at the Kurdistan Region Presidency said on Wednesday.
"Obviously, the Kurdistan Region is part of Iraq, and our borders with Syria stretch from Turkey to Jordan. Our borders are well-secured. The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) control the area along the Euphrates River, and Kurdish forces, with the US support, ensure the border is secure," Babakir Zebari told Rudaw’s Hawar Jalaladdin.
"From the other side of the Euphrates to the Jordanian border, there is potential for infiltration, but the Iraqi army has accounted for this and reinforced its defenses with modern military equipment. The border security forces are also in good condition. Trenches have been dug along the border, and they have access to night vision devices and advanced equipment. They are on high alert," added Zebari who is also a former chief of staff of the Iraqi army.
Iraq’s interior ministry also said on Monday that the country’s border with Syria is secured “better than any point in Iraq’s history,” dismissing concerns about the spillover of the conflict in Syria.
The Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and other Syrian rebel groups launched a major offensive against the Syrian army over the past week. They took control of the northern city of Aleppo, the largest in the country, and advanced their offensive into Hama province.
The developments in Syria pushed Iraq to close its borders with the western neighbor.
On Sunday, Syria’s Idlib-based rebel government sent a message to the Iraqi government "ensuring" that their "revolution" is against the Syrian regime and does not "pose a threat to Iraq's security and stability."
Zebari attributed the significant losses suffered by the Syrian regime to the poor state of its army, both in terms of equipment and readiness, as well as the regional tensions involving its close allies, including war in Lebanon and Gaza.
"The situation in Iran is also troubling. Economically, they are unable to provide gas and gasoline for their people, as noted by the Iranian President [Masoud Pezeshkian]. They are under sanctions and cannot reach out to Bashar al-Assad. Additionally, Russia’s involvement in the war in Ukraine is causing economic and political crises." Zebari explained.
"Hezbollah, once a significant support for Syria, has weakened considerably, and the Syrian army has been depleted over the years." Zebari added.
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