Iraq launches military operation to secure borders with Syria

BAGHDAD

The Iraqi army launched a military operation on Tuesday to secure the country's borders with Syria.

The operation, code-named "Revenge of the Martyrs", aims to secure the border area between Iraq and Syria, commander of the Iraqi Border Guards, Hamid al-Husseini, said in statements carried by the official Iraqi News Agency.

He said military forces, border guards and the pro-government Hashd Shaabi militia are taking part in the operation.

Iraq shares 1,000-kilometer borders with Syria with the Daesh/ISIS and PKK terror groups having active presence there.

In recent months, Daesh/ISIS terrorists have escalated their attacks, especially in the area between Kirkuk, Saladin, and Diyala, known as the Triangle of Death.

In 2017, Iraq declared victory over Daesh/ISIS by reclaiming all territories the terrorist group controlled since the summer of 2014 which was estimated to be about a third of the country’s territory.

The group, however, still maintains sleeper cells in large areas in Iraq and occasionally launches sporadic attacks.


Writing by Ahmed Asmar in Ankara