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The Iraqi Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) and the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) have successfully finished a joint combing operation on the border between Iraq and Syria only few hours after its beginning, the PMU’s Operations Command in al-Anbar announced in the evening of May 2.
“Our forces, which headed towards the Iraqi-Syrian border, met with Syrian forces in the agreed upon area,” the PMU said in an official statement, adding: “the military operation witnessed high coordination between the PMU, border police and the Syrian army, no violations were recorded.”
In the course of the operation, which began in the early hours of May 2, vast areas along the Iraqi-Syrian border were secured. ISIS remnants in these areas were reportedly neutralized.
Iraq and Syrian sources didn’t provide additional details regarding the joint operation. However, local observers believe that it was a part of ongoing perceptions to reopen the strategic Qa’im border crossing between the two countries.
Last month, Head of Iraq’s Border Crossing Authority Kazim al-Aqabi confirmed that the crossing will be reopened once all the requirements for commercial exchange and the passage of people are prepared.
Now when the border area around Qa’im has been secured, Iraq and Syria could move forward with their plans to reopen the border crossing, which has been closed since 2012.
