BEIRUT, December 27. /TASS/. A significant number of weapons previously belonging to the Syrian army have fallen into the hands of Islamic State (IS) militants (banned in Russia), Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Al Sudani said on Friday.
“(IS militants) have seized a significant amount of weapons from the Syrian army,” the prime minister said in an interview with Al Arabiyaassuring that Iraqi authorities “will not allow the infiltration of weapons and (IS supporters) from Syria (into Iraqi territory).” The Iraqi Prime Minister expressed hope for cooperation with the Syrian interim authorities to ensure border security between the two nations.
Baghdad “respects the will of the Syrian people and hopes for (progress toward a comprehensive political process),” Sudani stressed, adding that Iraq has no intention of interfering in Syria’s internal affairs.
In late November, Syria’s armed opposition launched a large-scale offensive against government forces. On December 8, they entered Damascus, prompting the army to withdraw from the Syrian capital. Syrian President Bashar Assad resigned and left the country, issuing guidelines for a peaceful transfer of power. On December 10, Mohammed al-Bashir, who has led the Syrian Rescue Government in Idlib since January 2024, announced his appointment as head of the Syrian interim government until March 1, 2025.
On December 6, Mazloum Abdi, commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces, said that against the backdrop of recent events, Kurdish units had boosted the activities of militants of the Islamic State terrorist organization in some parts of the country.