Iran-backed Militias Advance in Iraq Towards Syrian Border

Reuters reports that Iran-supported Iraqi Shiite militias have made further advances towards the Syrian border by capturing several villages controlled by ISIS in western Mosul. Previously, there were reports of the Syrian army consolidating positions near the Iraqi border. According to Reuters, forces known as 'Hashd al-Shaabi' have managed to take control of several areas, including the village of 'Kojou', where the Islamic State group took hundreds of Yazidi women hostage in 2014 during its peak advances in Syria and Iraq. Reports indicate that the central Iraqi government intends to control border areas with Syria in coordination with the Syrian army, which is also supported by Iran. At the same time, Reuters states that establishing a relationship between the two border sides will give Bashar al-Assad and his supporting forces an upper hand in the Syrian civil war. On May 13, Reuters quoted commanders of the 'Free Syrian Army' stating that Syrian government forces and Iran-backed militias have been reinforcing their presence in areas near the Iraqi and Jordanian borders. At that time, it was reported that 'hundreds of army and Iran-backed Shiite militia forces, equipped with tanks and heavy weaponry' were dispatched to the city of 'Sab'a Biyar'. The border areas of Syria with Iraq are also places where some Syrian rebels are trained by the U.S.-led coalition. Just a few days after Reuters' report, Washington announced that it had targeted a military convoy related to Iran in southern Syria. This convoy was reportedly heading towards the 'Tanf' base, where U.S. special forces are stationed in the eastern province of Deir ez-Zor. The border areas between Iraq and Syria are currently either mainly under the control of Kurdish Peshmerga and the Kurdistan Region or occupied by members of the group known as 'Islamic State'. The Iraqi army and security forces are attempting to retake Mosul from ISIS members. Military officials in the country stated on Saturday that the final phase of liberating Mosul has begun with an assault on the remaining parts of the city still under the control of the group known as Islamic State.