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Dulaimi accuses Syria of 'exporting destruction'
Agence France
Press
September 11,
2005 Iraqi Defence Minister Saadun al-Dulaimi accused neighbouring Syria of "exporting destruction" to his country by allowing insurgents to sneak across their border. Iraqi authorities announced the closure of a border crossing to Syria near the rebel bastion town of Tal Afar where a major counter-insurgency offensive involving about 10,000 Iraqi and US troops was underway. "I call on our neighbours to fear God and stop exporting destruction to Iraq," said the defence minister, in reference to Syria which stands accused in Baghdad of turning a blind eye to cross-border infiltrations. "The regions of Al-Qaim, Hussayba, Rutbah and Rommana and others have been held hostage by terrorists coming from all countries and who have found no point of entry to Iraq other than Syria," Dulaimi said Sunday. "Our problem is that all the infiltrations which bring death and terror take place through the 615-kilometre (370-mile) border with Syria," he said. "We can not post a soldier every metre of the way but we will find a solution by the end of the year," he said. "They are wrong if they think that Iraq will deviate from its path to democracy." The Iraqi government has closed the Rabia border crossing to Syria, with the exception of vehicles authorised by the interior minister. |
