BY JESUS ESPINOZA

As the violent conflict between the standing government and rebel groups continues in the war-torn region of Syria, skirmishes have begun to erupt along, and across the nation’s borders, instigating conflict within the neighboring nation of Iraq. Dozens of Syrian Army soldiers were killed after seeking temporary refuge in Iraq during a firefight with rebel forces. The soldiers were ambushed by what is suspected to be a group of Al Qaeda-affiliated militants. These killings have served to amplify concerns regarding the ill-effects of Syrian violence spilling across the nation’s borders, and the destabilizing effect which the conflict may have upon the entire region.

Recently, clashes between the Free Syrian Army (FSA) and the forces of the Assad regime over control of the crossing at Yaarabiya have intensified, and Iraqi troops stationed at the Rabia border crossing in the Iraqi province of Mosul, north of Baghdad, intervened during a recent conflict between the two factions, with fatal consequences.