Many defense lines have been established by the Iraqi authorities on the Syrian border, starting with barbed wire fences and anti-tank trenches up to 3 meters wide, as well as a concrete wall that includes numerous thermal surveillance cameras and observation points for the border guard, and in addition, many military forces equipped with modern weapons have been deployed, and the Popular Army Forces (Al-Hashd Al-Shaabi militia), and its variety of militias.

Baghdad strengthened these defense lines after the fall of the Assad regime in Syria by an alliance of armed factions led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which is classified as a terrorist organization in the United States, Europe, and other countries.

The fall of Assad, Baghdad's former ally, has raised concerns In Iraq, and days after the collapse of his regime and his flight to Moscow, an Iraqi security delegation led by the head of Iraqi intelligence, Hamid al-Shatari, traveled to Damascus and met with the head of the new Syrian government, Ahmed al-Sharaa.

The Iraqi Prime Minister’s advisor on foreign relations, Farhad Al-Adel, revealed that the purpose of the Iraqi delegation’s visit was to learn about the latest developments in Syria and how the new Syrian government was dealing with issues of concern to Iraq.

Iraqi military advisor, Safaa al-Aasm, believes that the presence of the concrete wall, anti-tank trench, barbed wire, thermal cameras and military units near the Syrian border could help “stop the flow of terrorists into Iraqi territory.”

The presence of these concentrations of forces near the border will also prevent many of the smuggling operations that occur along the border areas between Syria and Iraq, according to Al-Assaam, who added to the American news website Al-Hura that this will “limit the smuggling of drugs, weapons, human organs, medicines, animals and other materials” that have entered the country and caused great harm to civilians.

He added that the security situation in Syria is still “unstable,” in addition to the presence of many camps and prisons housing ISIS remnants, close to the Iraqi border, such as the Al-Hol camp, which houses thousands of ISIS members, he said.

Reports indicate that ISIS elements are still active in areas located in the Syrian desert, Palmyra, the Sukhnah area and Jabal al-Bishri, in southeastern Syria. These organizations are taking advantage of the security vacuum in Syria to carry out hit-and-run attacks and set up quick ambushes, as they are not facing regular forces.

In addition, the spokesman for the Kurdish People’s Defense Forces in Syria, Siamand Ali, noted that the continued Turkish attack on the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) could weaken them and lead to the escape of ISIS members detained in prisons and camps there, such as the Al-Hol camp, which houses dozens of former ISIS leaders.

This is why military advisor Safaa al-Aasm believes that the presence of a concrete wall with a 3-meter-wide trench, barbed wire, thermal surveillance cameras, drones and military units near the border is “necessary.”

Military expert Imad Illu believes that this trend is “important for Iraq,” especially since there is a desire to withdraw American and international coalition forces from Iraq, adding that Iraq badly needs this defense system.