Syria: Al-Bukamal border knife attack on Iraqis limited
Shafaq News – Damascus
Syrian authorities downplayed a recent knife attack targeting Iraqi travelers near the al-Bukamal (al-Qaim) border crossing between Syria and Iraq as “accidental and limited.”
Video footage showed a man armed with a knife halting a vehicle carrying Iraqi passengers, forcing them out, and demanding their passports—sparking outrage on Iraqi social media and raising alarms about security conditions at the crossing.
Some online commentators linked the attack to a recent Iraqi court ruling that sentenced a Syrian national to death for praising former ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, inciting violence against Iraqi forces, and burning images of Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib—the Prophet Muhammad’s cousin and son-in-law, and one of the most revered figures in Islamic history—in Najaf.
Speaking to Shafaq News, Mazen Alloush, director of Public Relations at Syria’s General Authority for Land and Sea Border Crossings, confirmed that the attacker entered from Syria, adding that internal security forces intervened quickly and restored order.
He noted that operations at the crossing have resumed and emphasized continued coordination with Iraqi authorities, insisting the event does not reflect broader relations between the two countries.
Alloush described the court ruling as “the most sensitive issue at the moment” but voiced confidence that it would not disrupt diplomatic ties, affirming that communication channels between Damascus and Baghdad remain open.
