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Turkey closes border crossing with Syria

January 30, 2014 at 3:09 am

Turkey has closed the Cilvegözü border crossing with Syria, which is also known as Bab Al-Hawa, after the Islamic Front, a union of six major rebel groups in opposition to the Syrian National Council, seized control of the crossing on the Syrian side.


According to Hurriyet Daily News in Turkey, a statement issued by the Customs and Trade Ministry described how: “The Bab al-Hawa crossing on the Syrian side was recently captured by a moderate Islamic group, referring to the Islamic Front, which was formed last month by six rebel groups that merged with the goal of overthrowing the Al-Assad regime and establishing an Islamic state.”

The statement added that the Cilvegözü border crossing in the south-eastern province of Hatay is now closed to the transit of passengers and vehicles.

Last week, the Islamic Front seized arms depots belonging to the Free Syrian Army, announcing afterwards its rejection of the FSA’s authority, which has heightened the tensions between the various Syrian opposition factions.