By Dylan Takores
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

DAMASCUS, Syria – The ongoing conflict between the Syrian army and rebel forces approached the Iraqi border, prompting warning shots to be fired.

Syrian rebels captured the northeastern town of Yaarabiya, which shares a border crossing with neighboring Iraq.  On Friday, a scud missile fired from Yaarabiya landed in Iraqi territory, terrifying locals.  Since that time, shots have been fired at the rebels from the direction of the border.

The Syrian rebel forces contend that the shots were warnings fired by Iraqi troops.  Iraqi military officials denied this contention.

According to Ali Shibaib, an Iraqi native who lives less than 300 meters from the border, “Syrian regular army troops are stationed between the Iraqi army and the Free Syrian army.”

The Syrian conflict spilled over the Iraqi border once before.  Last September, a five-year-old girl died when three rockets were fired into a border town near the al Qaim area of northwestern Iraq.

The Syrian army fighting in support of the President Bashar al-Assad is backed by Shi’ite Islamic Iran.  The Sunni Muslim rebels have received support from the United States.  Though a Shi’ite Muslim himself, the Iraqi Prime Minister, Nuri al-Maliki, publicly stated that his government has a non-interference policy regarding the conflict in Syria.

The ethnic and sectarian balance in Iraq has been shaken by the neighboring war.  However, Iraq is not the only nation feeling the effect of the struggle in Syria.  The influx of refugees from Syria has escalated the tension in many neighboring countries, including Iraq, Turkey, and Jordan.

United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon warned that the war may spread into other countries if the situation is not soon resolved.  He stated that the window of opportunity to resolve the civil conflict is quickly closing.

An estimated 70,000 people have been killed in less than two years since the war began in Syria.  The UN anticipates that the total number of Syrian refugees may surpass one million in the next week.

 

For further information, please see:

Al-Jazeera – Syria fighting sparks tension on Iraq border – 2 March 2013

Yahoo! News – Syrian army, rebel clashes bring conflict to Iraq doorstep – 2 March 2013

The Daily Star, Lebanon – Scud missile fired in Syria lands near Iraqi village: mayor – 1 March 2013

Voice of America – UN Chief Warns of Syrian War Spreading Regionally – 1 March 2013