A bus carrying Syrian soldiers on Iraq's side of Al Qaim border, on December 19 last year. Iraq’s main border crossing with Syria is set to reopen next week, signalling improved ties with ...

Iraq sent armoured vehicles on Monday to reinforce its long border with Syria, in a bid to ease concerns after a surprise offensive in the neighbouring country by Islamist-led insurgents.

The border crossing, which connects the town of Abu Kamal in Syria's Deir ez-Zor province to Iraq's al-Qaim district in Anbar province, was closed in early December, but was temporarily opened to ...