ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraq’s Defense Minister Thabet al-Abbasi on Saturday visited the border with Syria to monitor enhanced security preparations, as tensions escalate in its western neighbor.
Abbasi “held an extensive meeting with the operations commander and brigade leaders. During the meeting, they discussed the latest developments in Syria and their implications for Iraq, as well as the security preparations for securing the border to prevent the infiltration of terrorists and armed groups into Iraqi territory,” read a statement from his office.
The minister also conducted an “aerial reconnaissance tour along the Iraq-Syria border strip,” to inspect measures taken by the security forces.
A coalition of Syrian rebel groups, led by the jihadist Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), have made a dramatic grab of territory in northern Syria over the past four days. The Islamist fighters entered Syria’s largest city Aleppo on Friday afternoon after taking several villages in the surrounding countryside.
This is the first time the rebel groups have gained ground in years.
The Syrian army has admitted to losing territory.
Allies of Damascus, Iran and Russia, expressed “extreme concern” at the escalation in Aleppo during a phone call between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov.
“Strong support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic was reaffirmed,” Russia’s foreign ministry said in readout of the call.
Araghchi “emphasized the need for vigilance and coordination” between Tehran and Moscow “to confront the actions of terrorists in Syria,” according to a statement from the Iranian foreign ministry.
Araghchi also discussed the developments in Syria with Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. Turkey backs the Syrian rebels.
Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei announced that Araghchi is set to visit Damascus on Sunday and then will go to Ankara.
According to opposition media outlets, the rebels have taken control of most of Aleppo and they are advancing towards Hama province. HTS leader Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, in a video message on Saturday, said they will not stop until they reach Damascus.
Syria’s defense ministry rejected reports that the army withdrew from Hama and said their troops are positioned in the northern and eastern countryside of Hama and “ready to counter any terrorist attack.”
