PMF puts troops on alert as Syria fighting spills over
Shafaq News/
Iraq's military forces went on high alert along the Syrian border on Wednesday
as tensions have recently intensified in the Syrian province of Deir ez-Zor
between Arab tribes and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which receive
support from US forces, military and security sources told Shafaq News Agency.
Hamid
al-Yasiri, commander of the Ansar al-Marjaiya Brigade within the Popular
Mobilization Forces, has ordered a military alert in the al-Jazeera areas of
Nineveh Province and along the Iraqi-Syrian border.
In a
statement, al-Yasiri instructed all brigade members, including those currently
on leave, to "immediately report for duty to bolster security in the region."
Addressing his brigade members, al-Yasiri
said, "Wait for the special call that will reach you." However, he
did not provide details regarding the specific nature of the mission.
The SDF,
backed by the United States, has been battling ISIS militants and other groups
in Syria. However, tensions have been rising with Arab tribes in recent months,
leading to clashes in the oil-rich Deir ez-Zor.
Earlier this
week, video footage emerged showing armed groups, calling themselves
"Tribal Forces," taking control of the town of Abu Hamam in eastern
Deir ez-Zor after ousting the SDF.
