Day 1,197: Syria is fueling both ISIL and its opposition
An Iraqi solider walks along the Iraqi side of the Iraq-Syria border point, Albu Kamal, one of three between the two countries that a senior Iraqi official said were in the hands of the rebel Free Syrian Army, on July 20, 2012. The Iraqi side of the crossing, known in Iraq as Al-Qaim, was flooded with security personnel, with several Iraqi army and police units deployed to establish checkpoints and carry out patrols. AFP PHOTO / AZHAR SHALLAL (Photo credit should read AZHAR SHALLAL/AFP/GettyImages)
This is Day 1,197 of the Syrian conflict.
The big news today is that both the US and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki have confirmed Syrian attacks on ISIL targets inside Iraq, killing at least 57 and wounding 120 others.
Maliki said he didn't specifically ask the Syrians to attack Al Qaim near their shared border, but that he "welcomed" their help nonetheless. The strikes came after ISIL took control of Al Qaim, providing them a strategic route into Syria.
Assad has previously tolerated ISIL's existence in Syria, since it often allows him to justify his own attacks at home. But ISIL's consolidation of territory along the border appears to have prompted Assad to be more proactive.
Meanwhile, Al Qaeda's Syrian franchise, Al-Nusra Front, made a local pledge of allegiance to ISIL, further bolstering the group's control of the border area.
Politico has a great piece on the Syrian roots of the current Iraqi crisis. And while we're at it, the Washington Post has a nice read on Syrian widows who have banded together on the Turkish border.
The conflict continues.
The story you just read is accessible and free to all because thousands of listeners and readers contribute to our nonprofit newsroom. We go deep to bring you the human-centered international reporting that you know you can trust. To do this work and to do it well, we rely on the support of our listeners. If you appreciated our coverage this year, if there was a story that made you pause or a song that moved you, would you consider making a gift to sustain our work through 2024 and beyond?