Source: Iraq forms crisis cell to secure Syria border

Shafaq News/ Iraq has established a national security crisis cell to monitor developments in Syria and implement measures to safeguard border stability, a government source told Shafaq News on Thursday.

The cell operates under the direct supervision of Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani. Its members include Defense Minister Thabet Mohammad Al-Abbasi, Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein, Intelligence Chief Hamid Al-Shatri, Sovereignty Alliance leader Khamis Al-Khanjar, and Iraq’s chargé d’affaires in Damascus, Yassin Al-Hujaymi, the source said.

The Iraq-Syria border, which stretches over 600 kilometers, requires heightened security measures due to the presence of armed groups near key border cities, the source said, adding that challenges such as border infiltration and smuggling have prompted Iraq to establish a "strategic security center to enhance border management."

The source noted that Iraq and Syria both face internal challenges, including sectarian tensions in Iraq and Syria's ongoing civil war, warning that these conditions "create openings for external players to assert influence in the region."

Beyond these threats, the strategic geographical position of Iraq and Syria—which connects them to Turkiye, Iran, Kuwait, Jordan, and Lebanon—adds layers of political and security complexities requiring coordinated efforts, he added.

The crisis cell’s formation follows a series of high-level discussions between Iraqi and Syrian officials. On March 14, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein met his Syrian counterpart, Asaad Al-Shibani, in Baghdad to discuss mutual security concerns, including ISIS activity. Hussein reaffirmed that the five-nation operations center, agreed upon at the Amman Conference to counter ISIS movements, will be operational soon.

Regional security coordination has gained momentum in recent months. Iraq sent Intelligence Chief Hamid Al-Shatri to Damascus following the fall of Al-Assad's regime in December 2024 for discussions on counterterrorism coordination and efforts to prevent ISIS from regrouping. A month later, Syria and Jordan signed an agreement to establish a joint border security committee to curb arms smuggling, drug trafficking, and manage refugee movements.