Over 2,000 Syrian army soldiers who fled to Iraq after the fall of the Assad regime are protesting near the Syrian border, demanding to return home.

The soldiers, currently sheltering in the Rutba district of Iraq’s Anbar province, gathered near the border gate, chanting, “Send us back to our country.” Despite their appeals, Iraqi authorities have not made any official statement or decision regarding their fate.

Rutba District Governor Imat al-Duleymi confirmed that the soldiers are living in tents under difficult conditions, lacking basic necessities like electricity, water, and internet access, and unable to contact their families.