Baghdad and Erbil Agree to Strengthen Security Coordination, Border Security, and Anti-Smuggling Operations

Abdul Amir Al-Shammari, Director of the Office of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, chaired a high-level security meeting bringing together senior military and security officials from both the federal government and the Kurdistan Region, including commanders from the Peshmerga forces. The meeting evaluated the status of border crossings, aiming to reinforce measures against smuggling and illegal infiltration, while prioritizing the dismantling of drug trafficking networks and accelerating the extradition of wanted individuals to the judiciary. Al-Shammari emphasized the critical importance of securing international borders, improving operational efficiency within joint coordination centers for rapid intelligence sharing, and launching joint military exercises between Baghdad and Erbil to enhance operational readiness.