Iraq receives 144 Lebanese citizens at Al-Qaim border amid escalating conflict

BAGHDAD — The Iraqi Ministry of Migration has received 144 Lebanese citizens, including injured individuals, through the Al-Qaim border crossing, as Lebanon’s conflict intensifies following the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. The arrivals were welcomed on Monday as part of Iraq’s efforts to support displaced Lebanese families.

“Based on the directives of Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani and the Minister of Migration and Displacement, Evan Faeq Jabro, the ministry’s staff at the Al-Qaim border crossing, in cooperation with the Ministry of Interior, received the first group of families arriving from Lebanon who had left their homes due to the brutal Zionist aggression,” the ministry said in a statement.

Recent weeks have seen a sharp escalation in violence, particularly with renewed clashes between Hezbollah and Israeli forces. On September 27, Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli airstrike targeting Hezbollah headquarters in southern Beirut. This marks a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict, which has seen cross-border hostilities since October 2023.

On Sept. 25, Iraq’s Ministry of Migration and Displacement announced its readiness to accommodate Lebanese families fleeing the conflict.

Following Nasrallah’s assassination, Iraq declared three days of national mourning, with Prime Minister Al-Sudani condemning the attack as a “reckless act” aimed at deepening regional instability.

Iraq, led a government backed by the Shia Coordination Framework—largely comprised of Iran-aligned forces—has consistently voiced support for Hezbollah and Hamas in their conflict with Israel. Militias like Kataib Hezbollah have formed the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, launching drone and missile strikes targeting Israeli positions in recent days.

Al-Sudani spoke with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri on Monday, reaffirming Iraq’s support for Lebanon and calling for global and regional cooperation to restore peace and stability.