By Anas al-Bar | 2024-08-10

A 170km-long concrete wall along the Iraq-Syria border is the key component of a frontier security project that began three years ago and aims to close gaps exploited by "Islamic State of Iraq and Syria" (ISIS) fighters and smugglers.

The wall, which stands three meters high, presently runs along about a third of the 600km-long frontier between the two countries.

A critical section of the wall has been completed in a trouble spot north of the Euphrates, where infiltration and drug and weapon smuggling had been commonplace, because of rugged terrain and proximity of towns on both sides.

This stretch of the wall, which extends from Mount Sinjar in Ninawa province, Iraq, southward to the Anbar province town of al-Qaim, "is now safe," Iraqi border guard commander Lt. Gen. Mohammed al-Saeedi told Al-Fassel.

"The wall has contributed to completely stopping the passage of terrorists and conduct of smuggling," he said.

Watchtowers and police stations stand every kilometer along the wall, which is protected by a 3-meter-by-3-meter trench and a metal fence, as well as thermal cameras that monitor any movement along the border.

The cameras transmit to the monitoring center at Border Command headquarters in Baghdad.

Work is proceeding on "fortifications in the northern part of the border that extends from Mount Sinjar to the town of Rabia" in western Ninawa, said al-Saeedi.

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Reinforcements at frontier

Units from the Iraqi army's 7th Infantry Division are supporting the border forces with reconnaissance and surveillance missions.

These units coordinate their security work with the Border Forces Command, 7th Division commander Maj. Gen. Hassan al-Silawi told Al-Fassel.

This has included carrying out preemptive operations, ambushes and joint patrols in the area between al-Qaim and northward for about 80km to al-Trefawi area.

"This border sector is fully controlled and secured with a concrete blast wall and many fortifications," he said. "The security situation there is stable, and there haven't been any security breaches or instances of infiltration."

Iraqi forces have reinforced the border with additional units and increased their readiness to repel any ISIS border infiltration, especially in Ninawa province.

"The fortification procedures are sufficient to eliminate the ISIS threat to the country from Syrian territory," Ninawa provincial council security committee chairman Mohammed al-Kakai told Al-Fassel.

"Iraqi forces have other deterrents including the trench, the earthen barrier and cameras," al-Kakai said. "Military activity and coordination are ongoing between all units to protect the borders and establish stability."