Iraq’s ruling State Administration Coalition on March 7 rejected the use of Iraqi territory as a launchpad for attacks against neighboring countries, urging that the country not be dragged into the ongoing regional conflict, Rudaw News reported on March 7.
The coalition stressed the importance of keeping Iraq out of the escalating war between Iran on the one side and the United States and Israel on the other. “While stressing the necessity of not being drawn into the ongoing conflict in the region, the coalition announced its rejection of Iraq becoming a battleground for settling scores or a launchpad for any aggression against its neighbors,” it added. “The coalition strongly condemns all attacks that target Iraqi sovereignty and any attacks that cause innocent casualties and fuel the cycle of conflict,” the statement said, rejecting the use of Iraqi land, territorial waters, or airspace in any hostile acts, and calling for those responsible to be held accountable.
Mohammed Abdulwahab Sukar, commander of Iraq’s border guard forces, told Rudaw that the country’s borders with all neighboring states are “fully secured,” rejecting claims that armed forces have entered Iran from the Kurdistan Region. “There is continuous coordination between Iraq’s border guard forces and the Peshmerga and Asayish forces to protect the border with Iran,” Sukar said, adding that communication also exists between Iraqi border brigade commanders and their Iranian counterparts.
He said the scale and deployment of Iraqi forces have turned the border line into a “strict security zone,” preventing any attempts by forces to cross into Iranian territory.
