Iraq’s Parliament Speaker, Haibet Al-Halbousi, announced on Monday that he has called in the interior minister, defense minister, and the army’s chief of staff for a closed-door security meeting.
According to a statement from parliament, the officials will brief lawmakers on how Iraq’s borders are being protected and give an update on the current security situation.
This comes after repeated official statements saying the western border is secure. Nineveh Governor Abdul Qader Al-Dakhil recently said the province’s border with Syria is fully under control, with security forces deployed along the entire stretch. Iraq’s military has also confirmed it has full control of the Syrian border and noted that construction of a concrete barrier along the roughly 600-kilometer border is now about 80% complete.
Security concerns have grown because of fresh violence in northeastern Syria. Recent clashes between Syrian government forces and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF, have killed dozens and forced thousands of Kurdish families to flee their homes.
Syria’s transitional president, Ahmad Al-Sharaa, signed an agreement with the SDF to stop the fighting and bring the group into state institutions. However, tensions remain. The SDF has accused groups linked to the Syrian government of continuing attacks, while Damascus says the SDF is responsible for deadly assaults on its soldiers.
Because of these developments, Iraqi lawmakers are seeking clear answers on border security and the steps being taken to keep the country safe.
