Iraq sounds alarm over ISIS threat after Syria clashes
Shafaq News– Baghdad
Iraq warned on Tuesday that ISIS continues to pose a threat to regional and global security by exploiting instability and security vacuums in neighboring Syria.
National Security Advisor Qassim Al-Araji said years of conflict in Syria, most recently clashes between government forces and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) that killed at least 10 civilians, have created conditions allowing ISIS to regroup and operate.
To address the “root causes” of the issue, he called for stronger international coordination and political solutions.
Proceeding from Iraq’s national and regional responsibility in confronting terrorism, we affirm that the threat posed by the terrorist organization ISIS continues to constitute a real danger to the security of the region and the world, exploiting the state of instability in Syria…
— قاسم الاعرجي (@qassimalaraji) January 20, 2026
Iraq has reinforced security along its roughly 610-kilometer border with Syria amid the fighting. Interior Minister Abdul Amir Al-Shammari confirmed earlier today that the entire frontier is “secured” and under continuous monitoring.
Authorities have expanded barriers, watchtowers, and electronic surveillance systems, including thermal cameras, to curb smuggling and prevent ISIS infiltration, according to Interior Ministry statements. The measures come as Iraq assumes full responsibility for border security following the completion of the anti-ISIS Global Coalition’s withdrawal under a bilateral agreement ending its combat mission by September 2026.
