Iraq continues to fortify its western and northern borders with Syria by building a security fence aimed at preventing all infiltrations by the Islamic State militants, other militias, and drug gangs from the Syrian territories into Iraq. Iraqi officials expect the fortifications to be completed by the end of this year. In 2018, Iraq began the construction of the 160-kilometre-long security wall adjacent to the Anbar and Ninawa governorates, which still witness infiltrations and drug smuggling activities from the Syrian territories. “The operations to secure the western and northern internatio…