Iraq, Syria tackle opening strategic border crossing
Iraq and Syria held talks on reopening a key border crossing at the Euphrates River, which links central provinces of both countries, news reports said.
The issue was tackled during a meeting in Baghdad on Thursday between Syria's Ambassador to Iraq Satam Jadaan al-Dandah and Iraqi Lt. Gen. Abdul Amir Rasheed Yarallah, the deputy head to the Chief of Staff for Iraqi Army Operations.
They mulled the reopening of the al-Hasiba border crossing, which links al-Boukamal in Syria's Deir ez-Zor governorate with al-Qaim in Iraq's Anbar. It was used as a strategic crossing for ISIS militants through the conflict.
Iraq's Ministry of Defense, according to the reports, confirmed the details of the meeting.
ISIS are still targeted by Iraqi forces on both sides of the border in coordination with Syria, where the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), backed by the support of the US-led Coalition, have pushed the extremists in a small pocket, east of Euphrates.
