Safe to say things aren’t going well for Assad.

BAGHDAD (AFP) — Syrian rebels took control of all border crossings between Iraq and Syria on Thursday, Baghdad’s deputy interior minister told AFP.

“All the border points between Iraq and Syria are under the control of the Free Syrian Army,” Adnan al-Assadi told AFP by telephone.

“The border points and all the outposts are under the control of the Free Syrian Army.

“The Syrian army are focusing on Damascus.”

Assadi also said there was fighting under way between the Syrian army and rebels across the border from the northern Iraqi region of Sinjar.

The top official said Iraqi border guards had witnessed the Free Syrian Army take control of a border outpost, detain a Syrian army lieutenant colonel, and then cut off his arms and legs.

“Then they executed 22 Syrian soldiers in front of the eyes of Iraqi soldiers.”

The account of the killings could not be independently verified.

Assadi added: “If this situation continues, we are going to close the entire border with Syria.”

Earlier, an Iraqi border police lieutenant colonel told AFP that clashes began at noon at the Albu Kamal crossing in Anbar province.”

HT: Hexadron