By Anadolu staff
BAGHDAD (AA) – Over a thousand Syrian regime soldiers have entered Iraq through the Al-Qa'im border crossing, local media reported on Saturday.
“More than a thousand soldiers from the Syrian army requested entry into Iraq via the Al-Qa’im border crossing,” the Iraqi News Agency (INA) reported, quoting a security official.
The source, whose name was not revealed by the news agency, added that “the soldiers were welcomed and provided with the necessary care, and their needs were met.”
While footage of Syrian regime soldiers arriving in Iraq circulated on social media, Iraqi authorities issued no immediate official statement on the matter.
The civil war in Syria has continued since 2011. Over the past week, anti-regime forces have taken control of Aleppo and other areas in a surprise offensive.
Renewed fighting between regime forces and anti-regime groups broke out on Nov. 27 in rural areas west of Aleppo.
By Nov. 30, opposition forces had taken control of most of Aleppo’s city center and established dominance across the Idlib province.
Following intense clashes on Thursday, groups took control of the Hama city center from regime forces.
Anti-regime groups also seized several settlements in the strategically important Homs province, which leads to Damascus, and began to advance.
On Friday, Syrian opposition groups took control of Daraa in southern Syria, near the Jordanian border.
Earlier on Saturday, they seized total control of the Suwayda province in southern Syria. On the same day, local opposition forces in Quneitra gained control of the provincial capital.
On Dec. 1, the opposition Syrian National Army launched Operation Dawn of Freedom against the terrorist group PKK/YPG in the Tel Rifaat district of Aleppo's countryside, liberating the area from terror elements.
*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala