Iraq digs ditch along Syria border

Iraq digs ditch along Syria border
Sun Feb 24, 2013 18:39:53

The Iraqi Border Command has dug a ditch and set up an earthen embankment - 230 km long in total - along the border with Syria to prevent illegal crossing.

Deputy Interior Minister Adnan al-Assadi told a news conference on Sunday, “The ditch prevents illegal crossing and smuggling across the border”. He added a smuggling ring has since been taken out with a number of smugglers dead or captured.

The Iraqi official further said the Interior Ministry has arrested a man who smuggled 15 explosives-rigged cars from Fallujah to the capital. “Eight of the vehicles in question have been seized and the other seven had already been set off.”

“The cars that were recently detonated in the capital came from Fallujah,” al-Assadi said as he blamed al-Qaeda infiltrating protesters for a string of recent incidents in Baghdad.

As many as 28 people were killed and an additional 124 were injured when a number of car bombs went off in Baghdad last Sunday.

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