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Iraq’s Shiite militias fighting ISIS across Syrian border
[RUDAW.NET] Iraq’s Shiite militia crossed the border into Syria during festivities with ISIS in the Euphrates River valley, a conflict monitor reported. Fighters of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), also known as the Hashd al-Shaabi, crossed the border at al-Qaim and were fighting ISIS in the al-Hiri area, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on Saturday. Al-Hiri is located in the countryside east of the Syrian city of al-Boukamal, the last major urban centre still in ISIS hands. After exchange of artillery, ISIS pushed the Iraqi forces back across the border, the Observatory stated. A spokesperson for one group within the Hashd al-Shaabi confirmed to The News Agency that Dare Not be Named that they had clashed with ISIS in the border area, but denied they had crossed into Syria. Jaafar al-Husseini of the Kataeb Hezbollah said his forces fired rockets into Syria from al-Qaim on the Iraqi side of the border. The Iraqi army and Hashd al-Shaabi took control of al-Qaim from ISIS on Friday. Husseini confirmed that Iraqi militias are already present inside Syria among Iranian-backed militias fighting side-by-side with Syrian government forces and he added that the Shiite militias will take part in securing a route from Iran to Leb. Posted by: Fred 2017-11-06 |
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