PMF denies entering Syrian territory
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – A spokesperson for the Hashd al-Shaabi, also known as the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), on Thursday denied the forces had entered Syria.
In a statement, PMF spokesman Ahmed al-Asadi said that “official Iraqi armed forces do not have a presence outside of Iraqi territory.”
“All our operations are under the supervision of the commander of the joint Iraqi military command,” he added.
According to Asadi, the PMF’s role is limited to the “liberation of Iraqi territory under the control of the Islamic State (IS) militants.”
Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, Deputy Commander of the PMF, also stated the Iraq-Syria borders security mission will be handed over to the Border Police once it is liberated.
In a previous statement, Talal Silo, the spokesperson for the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), said their forces would prevent the Hashd al-Shaabi from entering SDF-controlled areas.
On May 24, the PMF launched the second operation to retake areas west of Qairawan and reach the town of al-Baaj near the Syrian border, one of the remaining supply lines for IS in Iraq.
The Shia forces reached the Syrian border this week.
Iraqi Forces launched a wide-scale offensive to recapture Mosul and surrounding areas in the Nineveh Province from IS last October.
Editing by Karzan Sulaivany