Syria raid nets smuggling ring near Iraq border

Shafaq News/ Syrian security forces have arrested several suspected drug and weapons smugglers with alleged ties to Iranian-backed armed groups during a raid near the Iraqi border, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) stated on Friday.

According to SOHR, General Security units sealed off the town of Al-Hari, near Al-Bukamal in eastern Deir Ezzor province, seizing large quantities of Captagon pills, firearms, and detonators.

Additionally, Syrian forces have since reinforced their presence in the area by deploying additional border posts and patrol units.

Stretching approximately 610 kilometers—300 kilometers in Nineveh province and 320 kilometers in Al-Anbar— the Syrian-Iraqi border is notoriously porous and difficult to monitor. Its rural and remote terrain makes it a favored route for drug and arms smugglers, as well as for militants seeking to infiltrate Iraqi territory. The border has long served as a corridor for trafficking operations involving narcotics, weapons, fighters, and other illicit goods, posing an ongoing security challenge to both Damascus and Baghdad.

In response to these threats, Iraqi forces and the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) have intensified efforts to secure the frontier. Recent operations have included the deployment of additional PMF units, including brigades 30 and 17, along key border stretches. These units have been equipped with medium and heavy weaponry, along with thermal cameras for enhanced surveillance.