Monday, February 19, 2007
Mayhem as border posts open with Syria
Security
(Al Jazeera) The ending of a three-day border closure between Iraq and Syria has led to chaotic scenes at two crossings as more people try to escape the continuing violence in Iraq. There was "pandemonium" at the Rabia border crossing as thousands of civilians converged on what was one of the only two entry points into Syria on Sunday.
According to witnesses, the congestion was the result of the closure of the Iraqi border since February 14, when authorities implemented a new security crackdown in the capital Baghdad. The border reopened late on Saturday. When Iraqi border police failed to halt the stream of people surrounding the processing centre, US soldiers moved into the crowds with police dogs in hopes of bringing order. Later, they fired shots into the air to disperse the crowds, witnesses said.
The shots could be clearly heard at the al-Ya'roubia crossing on the Syrian side of the border. At 3pm, after all efforts to stabilise the situation failed, Iraqi border police collected all the passports and proceeded to issue exit stamps, abandoning once rigid security checks. Witnesses said commercial traffic was stopped at the border and the queue extended some 40km into Iraqi territory.
According to witnesses, the congestion was the result of the closure of the Iraqi border since February 14, when authorities implemented a new security crackdown in the capital Baghdad. The border reopened late on Saturday. When Iraqi border police failed to halt the stream of people surrounding the processing centre, US soldiers moved into the crowds with police dogs in hopes of bringing order. Later, they fired shots into the air to disperse the crowds, witnesses said.
The shots could be clearly heard at the al-Ya'roubia crossing on the Syrian side of the border. At 3pm, after all efforts to stabilise the situation failed, Iraqi border police collected all the passports and proceeded to issue exit stamps, abandoning once rigid security checks. Witnesses said commercial traffic was stopped at the border and the queue extended some 40km into Iraqi territory.
