The Iraqi military allowed the Syrian military and their allies, including Iraq’s Hashd Al-Sha’abi (Popular Mobilization Units), to attack the Islamic State’s (ISIS) positions inside the border-city of Albukamal on Wednesday, Al-Masdar News cited a sources as saying.

The Syrian Army and their allies were able to enter Albukamal’s eastern district from the Iraqi border-city of Al-Qa’im on Wednesday, November 8, prompting the Islamic State (ISIS) to abruptly retreat from the area.

Al-Qa’im was liberated by the Iraqi Armed Forces last week; it was the location of the Islamic State’s most important border-crossing into Syria’s Deir ez-Zor Governorate.

With both Albukamal and Al-Qa’im liberated, the Syrian and Iraqi governments now share an imperative border-crossing that will allow for continued commerce between Baghdad and Damascus.