Iraq closes borders with Iran and Syria

Staff and agencies
Thursday February 15, 2007
Guardian Unlimited

Iraqi and British forces in southern Iraq today closed border crossings with Iran and set up roadblocks on routes into the city of Basra.

The measures were part of new attempts to cut off smuggling networks accused of supplying weapons to insurgents.

Security forces closed two border points with Iran, introduced the Basra roadblocks and expanded coastal patrols to monitor maritime traffic into southern Iraq, a statement said.

"This is the largest operation that has been planned and executed by the Iraqi security forces in southern Iraq with our assistance," Major David Gell, a British forces spokesman, told Sky News.

"Specifically, this operation has closed down the city of Basra. There are eight access points to the city and we are checking all traffic entering and leaving the city."

Maj Gell said troops were looking for "nothing specific", but added that US-led forces in Iraq believed Iran was supporting Iraqi insurgents.

It was also revealed today that Iraq had closed its borders with Syria as part of the crackdown.

"The plan to close the borders went into effect last night. Many points were closed, but I can't confirm that all were shut," Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Garver, of the US military, told Reuters.

The closures were to be maintained for 72 hours in order to change the procedures and layouts at border positions.

The US has accused Syria of allowing foreign fighters to cross its long borders with Iraq, and also alleges that Iran is supplying roadside bombs. Both countries have denied the claims.

In Baghdad today, US and Iraqi forces launched a major operation in the southern district of Dora, where Sunni insurgents are reportedly hiding.

Meanwhile, a mortar attack was carried out near the heavily fortified Green Zone, injuring two people, including a US contractor. The shells landed near an entrance to the complex that houses the US and British embassies, as well as Iraqi government offices.

It happened a day after US troops conducted house to house searches in mainly Shia Muslim areas near a militia stronghold in north-east Baghdad as part of the opening phase of a new security operation in the capital.

Meanwhile, an adviser to the Iraqi prime minister said the radical Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr was in Iran, but denied Mr Sadr had fled because of fear of arrest.

Sami al-Askari said Mr Sadr travelled to Iran over land a few days ago, but gave no further details of how long he would stay there.

A member of Mr Sadr's parliamentary bloc said the cleric had left three weeks ago. "I confirm that Moqtada al-Sadr is in Iran on a visit, but I deny that his visit is a flight," Mr Askari said.

The statement came a day after conflicting reports on Mr Sadr's whereabouts. The US has blamed his Mahdi Army militia force for an upsurge in sectarian violence that has claimed almost 34,000 lives in the last year.