Iraqi Commander: US Drills Aimed at Paving Ground for ISIL Terrorists’ Infiltration
A senior Hashd al-Shaabi (Iraqi popular forces) commander warned that the US military wargames at the country's borders with Syria are aimed at creating a safe passageway for the ISIL terrorists' infiltration.
Hadi al-Khorasani revealed that the US forces were conducting drills and exercises on the Syrian border to make the ground prepared for the ISIL terrorists to infiltrate into the Iraqi desert.
“The Hashd al-Shaabi security forces and fighters have taken full control of the border with Syria,” he said.
“There are areas on the border strip that are under the control of the US forces,” Khorasani said.
He pointed out that the US drills were due to include a crackdown on the ISIL militants fleeing from Syria to Iraq, but “the Americans piloted drones in the desert of al-Anbar to find pathways free from the presence of security forces to facilitate the penetration of the ISIL terrorists into the territory of Iraq.”
Relevant reports said late last month that the US-backed ISIL terrorists in the bordering areas of Southeastern Syria attacked the Syrian army positions in a bid to block the reopening of a corridor which links the country to Iraq.
“The ISIL’s attempts to launch the attack were made at the American military men’s order because the US has kept the ISIL group’s units in the region, supports them and uses them for its special plots,” a Syrian field source told the Arabic-language website of Sputnik news agency.
He added that the intelligence and logistical forces of the Syrian army rapidly reacted to the terrorists’ attacks, killing several of them and forcing others to flee the region.
The source said that the aim of such attacks is compensating for the US and Israel’s failed attacks to prevent the bordering Albu Kamal-Qa’em passageway.
Al-Qa’em, an Iraqi town which lies near the strategic border crossing that links to the Syrian town of Albu Kamal, was retaken in the beginning of November last year.
Later the Iraqi military announced that it had restored control over the checkpoints on the border with Syria.
The US and Israel from time to time launch attacks against the crossing to prevent links between Syria and Iraq.
