Deputy Speaker Al-Mandalawi discusses impact of ‘terrorist’ activities in Syria as Islamist rebels storm Aleppo

BAGHDAD — Iraqi First Deputy Speaker Mohsen Al-Mandalawi has warned of escalating “terrorist activity” in Syria and its potential impact on Iraq’s security and regional stability.

Islamist rebels have stormed the city of Aleppo following the collapse of army defenses in the north-west Syria.

In a statement, issued by his office on Saturday, Al-Mandalawi linked the developments to the failures of what he described as the “Zionist entity” in Lebanon and Gaza, accusing it of “reactivating terrorist groups” in Syria to destabilize the region. He called for heightened security measures, including border readiness, intelligence cooperation with Syria, and preemptive operations to prevent infiltration into Iraq. Parliament, he said, will oversee the issue closely to ensure appropriate actions are taken.

Iraq shares a 600-kilometer border with Syria, adjoining territories controlled by different factions. In the northeast, the border connects to areas governed by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, while further south it runs alongside regions controlled by the Syrian government and supported by Iranian-backed militias.

Lt Gen. Mohammed Abdul Wahab Sukkar Al-Saidi, commander of Iraq’s Border Forces, stated on Saturday that the 600-kilometer frontier is ‘impenetrable’.

Full statement from Al-Mandalawi’s office:

The First Deputy Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament, Mohsen Al-Mandalawi, warned of the dangers posed by recent terrorist activities in Syria and their implications for security and stability in Iraq and the region. He emphasized that the failure of the Zionist entity in Lebanon and Gaza, and its inability to dismantle the unity of fronts supporting Palestine, has pushed it to reactivate the role of terrorist groups in the Syrian arena. Al-Mandalawi stated that Parliament would closely monitor this issue to ensure appropriate security measures are taken.

Al-Mandalawi called on the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces to ensure the readiness of security forces to secure the country’s borders. He urged security leaders to conduct field visits to assess preparedness and oversee border operations. Additionally, he instructed the Parliamentary Security and Defense Committee to hold an emergency meeting and summon relevant officials to discuss the recent developments. He also stressed the importance of enhancing intelligence cooperation with Syria to exchange information and conducting preemptive operations to prevent any attempts by terrorist groups to return or infiltrate Iraq.