Though ISIS holds the overwhelming majority of the territory in the Iraq’s Anbar Province and the overwhelming majority of the territory in Syria’s Deir Ezzor Province, they don’t always control the border crossings between the two.
They’re looking to change that, however, sacking the Waleed border crossing today, and killing 16 Iraqi soldiers who were stationed there to guard the crossing. Four other soldiers were wounded.
Tribal leaders in the city of al-Rutbah, not far from the crossing, reported ISIS fighters returned to the town after the attack jubilant, firing their guns in the air in celebration.
The physical pre-war border crossings are little more than a formality at this point, as ISIS has bulldozed much of the border itself and, controlling both sides, allows people to flow back and forth at will.