ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Iraqi authorities on Sunday confirmed the recent arrest of two suspected Islamic State (ISIS) members wanted for smuggling weapons into Iraq from camps in northeast Syria (Rojava) in a joint operation with Syrian security forces and the Global Coalition.

“The two targets were responsible for facilitating the transfer of terrorist elements and weapons from camps in Syrian territory and attempting to bring them into Iraq, and they served as a link,” the head of Iraq’s Security Media Cell, Saad Maan, told state media.

“The operation was carried out by an airborne force, characterized by precision and speed in storming and surprising deep into enemy territory, which prevented any losses or the escape of the wanted men,” it added.

The operation comes amid broader regional efforts to combat terrorism through cross-border initiatives.

The Kurdish-led internal security forces (Asayish) in Syria were also involved in the operation, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).

“There is a high level of coordination with the Syrian security authorities and the international coalition in terms of cross-referencing information,” Maan said, stressing that “the security forces have moved from the stage of crisis management to taking the initiative and proactive work to paralyze the movement of terrorism in its hideouts.”

ISIS took control of swathes of Syrian and Iraqi territory in 2014, declaring its so-called caliphate with the Iraqi city of Mosul as its capital. They were territorially defeated with assistance from the US-led coalition forces in Syria in 2019.

Since their territorial defeat, the group has mainly resorted to hit-and-run attacks, mainly targeting Kurdish-led forces in Syria.

Iraq shares a 618 kilometer border with Syria and a spillover of security threats has prompted Baghdad to further fortify its border.