According to local media, the Iraqi government declared the total closure of its national borders amid growing security concerns in the area.

Iraq's borders have been completely secured, Lt. Gen. Qais al-Muhammadawi, deputy commander of the Iraqi Joint Operations Command, informed the Iraqi News Agency (INA).

He went on to say that in order to safeguard Iraq, security personnel are awaiting more orders from Iraqi Prime Minister Muhammad Shia al-Sudani.

Gen. Muhammad Abdulwahab es-Suaydi, head of the Iraq Border Forces, added that they were stepping up security and bolstering operations along the Iraq-Syria border.

Sudani-Assad phone call

Iraqi Prime Minister Sudani spoke late Saturday with Syrian regime leader Bashar Assad on the phone to discuss recent developments in Syria.

A statement from Sudani's office said in the conversation, which also covered developments regarding the situation in the region.

Sudani noted that the security and stability of both countries can be affected by regional security developments.

Clashes erupt in Syria’s Deraa

Regime forces loyal to Bashar al-Assad opened fire on demonstrators in Syria's southern province of Deraa who were supporting the advance of opposition groups.

Local sources reported that dozens of people gathered in the Inkhil area of Deraa to back the progress of opposition forces.

The regime forces responded by firing live ammunition to disperse the crowd.

Clashes broke out on Nov. 27 between Assad regime forces and opposition groups in the western countryside of Aleppo province in northern Syria.

Over Nov. 27–28, opposition forces made significant gains, rapidly advancing from the western Aleppo countryside toward the city centre.

By the second day of advancement, they had captured several areas in Idlib's countryside.

On Nov. 29, opposition groups entered Aleppo's city centre and have since seized control of large parts of the area.