Thousands of Syrian soldiers cross into Iraq, give up arms, official says

More than 4,000 Syrian army soldiers have crossed into Iraq since rebel forces seized Damascus and overthrew the government of Bashar al-Assad, a militia official in western Iraq says.

The official with the Anbar Tribal Mobilization Forces says that the soldiers had turned over their weapons, ammunition and armored vehicles and would be housed in a camp. He did not say where the camp was located.

Another security official says that the governor of the Syrian province of Hasakeh had come to the border late Sunday night with a convoy of Syrian army soldiers who wanted to cross into Iraq, and they were allowed in via the Qaim crossing.

Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the matter.

The Iraqi government has close ties with Iran and used to be one of Assad’s primary backers but Baghdad has taken a neutral position on the advance of the insurgents and Assad’s downfall.