ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - A member of the Iraqi parliament's Security and Defense committee on Tuesday dismissed media reports of Syrian militants planning to cross into Iraq, affirming that the border is well-secured and asserting that Iraqi security sources have offered no confirmation of the existence of any such plans. 

The denial comes after State of Law coalition leader and former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in a televised interview on Saturday warned of Syrian gangs planning to invade Iraq with the knowledge of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa. 

Maliki stressed the need to purge “foreign mercenaries” from the ranks of Syrian state forces to mitigate against the threats of such actors.

Iraq Member of Parliament Yasser Watout told The New Region that the committee had reviewed the reports, stressing that “no official confirmation has been received from the relevant security agencies.”

Watout added that Iraqi security forces, including the army, border guards, counterterrorism units, and the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), have “advanced military plans and measures” to secure the Syrian border, particularly in desert areas once used as entry points for militants.

He said defenses have been strengthened with surveillance systems and thermal cameras, alongside increased aerial reconnaissance, making it “very difficult for any terrorist elements to breach the border or threaten internal stability.”

“We reassure our people that Iraqi forces are fully prepared to deal with any potential threat,” Watout said. “Iraq today is stronger and more experienced in fighting terrorism and will not allow these criminal groups to return.”

Ongoing threats

Retired Major General Safaa al-Asam, a military adviser, acknowledged continuing threats from militant groups in Syria but said Iraq’s security posture has improved.

He told The New Region that any discussion of militants storming the Iraqi border “must be grounded in a realistic reading of field conditions.”

Asam noted Iraq now has a stronger security and military system, with electronic monitoring, fortified defenses, and combat units spread across the western border.

“True, threats remain because of terrorist pockets near the border,” he said, “but their ability to mount a large-scale incursion into Iraq is very weak. Any attempt would be quickly exposed and dealt with.”

He added that ongoing coordination is required between Iraqi forces, the international coalition, and Syria to prevent militants from exploiting geographical or logistical gaps.

In the end, Asam said that “the possibility of these groups carrying out a wide attack remains limited, but it demands vigilance and constant readiness.”