Qatar newspaper "Al Arab al-Jadeed" reported that the Shiite militia "Hizbullah regiments" are expanding its base near al-Qa'im, on the Syrian border • "The organization has not relinquished its presence in the region and aims to expand"
Shiite militias tighten control over Iraq-Syria border: Media outlets in the Arab world reported Sunday that the Hezbollah Battalions in Iraq are strengthening its presence in the base bombed by the United States last month.
The Qatari newspaper that sees light in London, "Al Arab al-Jadeed" reported that Iranian-backed Shiite militia has begun building a new, larger base than its predecessor, near the town of Al Qa'im on the Iraqi side of the Syria-Iraq border.
The new base was allocated to the organization by the Iraqi government, which is committed to the Shiite militia under the "Hashdeh a-Sha'abi" roof organization, which is integrated within the Iraqi army.
Hezbollah battalions fire missiles
A senior Iraqi security official told Al Arab al-Jadeed that despite the US bombing that has taken the lives of more than 26 of the organization's terrorists, including a local commander, the organization has not relinquished its presence in the region and aims to expand it.
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In the report, local eyewitnesses were quoted as saying that the new complex is larger and contains a larger number of buildings from the previous headquarters of Shiite militias in the area.
The border zone between Iraq and Syria has become a critical point in the fight against Iran's influence in Syria and Iraq. Last year, it was reported that Revolutionary Guards' Quds Force members were working to build a number of bases for Shiite militias on both sides of the border, including a border crossing terminal designated for militias only.
The "Imam, Ali" base, built for the militias on the Syrian side of the border, was bombed several times by unidentified aircraft. The base has also been documented for construction of tunnels for hiding ballistic missiles.
