Kataeb Hezbollah urges deployment of troops to Syria as border tensions mount
Shafaq News/ Iraq’s Kataib Hezbollah called on the government to send official military forces to Syria, citing threats to Iraqi national security and regional stability.
The appeal comes amid heightened fears of the Syrian conflict spilling over into Iraq, despite increased security measures along the border. Concerns have also emerged over the potential involvement of Iraqi resistance factions in operations against Syrian opposition groups, such as Ahrar al-Sham, which could escalate tensions further.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Kataib Hezbollah said the group was monitoring the "aggression carried out by criminal groups against the Syrian people." The group has not yet decided to deploy its fighters to Syria but emphasized that the Iraqi government should take the initiative.
“The government must send official military forces in coordination with the Syrian government, given the threat these groups pose to Iraqi national security and the entire region,” the statement said.
Iraq Strengthens Border Defenses
Following last week’s escalation in Syria, Iraq has bolstered its military readiness, deploying three army brigades and two Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) brigades along its 620-kilometer border with Syria.
Defense measures include barbed wire, fences, concrete barriers, trenches, and thermal cameras designed to prevent infiltrations and attacks.
The Interior Ministry reassured citizens about border security. Ministry spokesperson Brig. Gen. Muqdad Miri said, “The 3,813 kilometers of Iraqi borders are fully secured, and our border with Syria is particularly well-fortified compared to other neighboring countries. Border infiltration is impossible due to the extensive fortifications and deployment of military units along the Iraq-Syria border.”
Amid these developments, PMF chief Faleh al-Fayyad categorically denied reports of PMF fighters entering Syria. “The PMF operates solely within Iraqi territory,” he told state media, countering claims by Reuters suggesting that hundreds of Iraqi fighters had crossed into Syria to support the Assad regime.
Iraqi Military Vows to Protect Borders
Brigadier General Yahya Rasool, spokesperson for Iraq’s armed forces, underscored the military's readiness to counter any threats. In a televised interview, he said, “If they dare to cross into Iraq, the valleys will be filled with their corpses.”
He also highlighted intelligence efforts monitoring Syrian developments and pledged swift action to preempt threats.
“Not only the army will face the terrorists, but also the clans,” Rasool added.
While denying PMF involvement in Syria, Rasool defended “the right of resistance factions” to act independently based on their policies, clarifying that the Iraqi government does not interfere in their decisions.
