A new trench and 150 watchtowers to secure the border with Syria

[size=52]A new trench and 150 watchtowers to secure the border with Syria[/size]

[size=45]Translation/ Hamed Ahmed
[size=45]At the beginning of May, the security authorities announced that they had begun digging a trench along the border strip with Syria, with the deployment of advanced electronic surveillance and reconnaissance equipment, in order to enhance border security and prevent the infiltration of terrorists into Iraq.[/size]
[size=45]In 2017, the Iraqi army and the Peshmerga forces, with the support of the International Coalition, were able to end ISIS control over large areas of Iraqi territory and expel it from it, but with that, ISIS militants are still trying to continuously penetrate the borders and infiltrate into Iraqi territory through Syria.[/size]
[size=45]On March 14, Iraqi forces thwarted an attempt to breach the border of a terrorist group at Dokji border area, west of Mount Sinjar. An Iraqi security source confirmed last month that this incident called on the Iraqi forces to coordinate with the Syrian Democratic Forces to hunt down ISIS elements.[/size]
[size=45]The spokesman for the Commander-in-Chief of the Iraqi Armed Forces, Major General Yahya Rasoul, told Al-Monitor, “The successful coordination between the Iraqi forces and the international coalition in the efforts of digging the trench, and ensuring detection and reconnaissance operations through new capabilities such as the use of the drone system, as terrorist groups are seeking It continues to try to infiltrate and cross from and to both sides of the Iraqi-Syrian border.”[/size]
[size=45]Rasoul said: "As part of the project to strengthen the security of the Iraqi-Syrian border, approximately 150 watchtowers will be installed across the border areas, starting from Mount Sinjar. It will be installed along the border by the international coalition.”[/size]
[size=45]Rasoul added, "The trench with the checkpoints and preemptive security operations against terrorism will stop any security threat that comes from the areas of northeastern Syria, where the area is free from the presence of Syrian forces and that many terrorist groups are present there." Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi issued an order to take full control of the border with Syria.” Fadel Abu Ragheef, an expert on terrorist groups at the Development Center for Research, told Al-Monitor, “During the next stage, the infiltration of terrorist groups will be curbed using advanced technology.”[/size]
[size=45]He added, "More than two-thirds of the 605-km Iraqi-Syrian border has been secured, with the help of the army's engineering effort, with the participation of the Joint Operations Command and the Ministry of Water Resources. This coordination provided the necessary mechanization and mechanism for digging trenches and trenches.”[/size]
[size=45]Abu Ragheef expected, "More than 85% to 90% of the borders will be secure, and practically any infiltration will be curbed without the need for human resources. I expect to see tangible results in the near term.”[/size]
[size=45]Since the end of 2020, Iraq has sought to preserve security achievements and prevent terrorists from infiltrating between the two countries' borders.[/size]
[size=45]A spokesman for the Joint Operations Command, Tahsin al-Khafaji, told Al-Monitor, “Joint efforts by the international coalition, the ministries of defense and water resources, and the Popular Mobilization Units will ensure the completion of a trench along the Iraqi-Syrian border, as well as barriers. All of these measures include natural barriers that hinder the infiltration of terrorist groups and smuggling attempts.”[/size]
[size=45]Speaking to Al-Monitor, Falah Al-Khafaji, a member of parliament from the Victory Alliance, warned that “nothing has been achieved if the efforts are limited only to digging the trench.” With effective results as well.”[/size]
[size=45]He added, "Over the past years, the Iraqi-Syrian border has been a source of Iraq's suffering, due to the presence of terrorist groups on the Syrian side of the border. Coordination and cooperation is necessary between the international coalition, the Iraqi security forces, the Peshmerga forces, and the Popular Mobilization Units, so that the measures put in place from the trench and the monitoring equipment, which cost Iraq a huge amount, can yield satisfactory results.[/size]
[size=45]About: The Monitor[/size]
[size=45]][You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]