Syrian soldiers flee to Iraq

According to Iraqi state TV, more than 1,000 Syrian soldiers crossed into Iraq's Anbar province through al-Qaim border crossing.

The soldiers were reportedly marooned in eastern Syria and unable to safely join up with Syrian government forces in Homs.

Iraq is very concerned about developments in Syria, fearful that it will have repercussions like in 2014, when Islamic State fighters flooded across the border and seized scores of Iraqi towns and cities that took four years to liberate.

Iraqi security sources told MEE that tens of thousands of border guards, soldiers and paramilitaries have been deployed along Iraq's border with Syria to ensure the country's security.