BEIRUT, December 2. /TASS/. Detachments of Iraqi fighters from the Shiite militia Al-Hashd al-Shaabi have crossed the border with Syria on the military road near the checkpoint in the town of Abu Kamal and headed for the northern regions to take part in the government troops’ operation against armed gangs, a Syrian military source told the Sky News Arabia TV channel.

The first group of militias reportedly consists of members of the Kataib Hezbollah group, which is part of al-Hashd al-Shaabi. It will be followed by reinforcements from other Shiite organizations.

Iraqi militias previously fought on the side of the Syrian army in the eastern parts of the country and contributed to the defeat of the Islamic State (banned in Russia) terrorist group in 2017. Their units then conducted operations side by side with government forces against the remnants of terrorist gangs in the Syrian desert - in Deir ez-Zor and Palmyra.

On November 30, Syrian President Bashar Assad held a telephone conversation with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani. According to the Syrian leader's office, the Iraqi prime minister promised Damascus all necessary support in the fight against terrorism.

After the incursion of the extremist group Jabhat al-Nusra (banned in Russia) into the Aleppo province on November 27 the Iraqi authorities took comprehensive measures to strengthen the protection of the border with Syria.