Publication

Harith Hasan and Kheder Khaddour write that over the last two decades, the border area between the Bukamal in Syria and Qa’im in Iraq has become highly militarized and volatile. Indeed, it has developed into the focal point of a regional geopolitical rivalry populated by Iranian-backed militias and frequent US and Israeli airstrikes and drone attacks targeting them. In this publication, Hasan and Khaddour explore how this has come to pass and why this heavily securitized part of the border will likely remain a magnet for conflict for years to come.