Iraq, Syria border crossing set to reopen next week amid return of security stability

The main border crossing between Iraq and Syria is reportedly set to reopen to traffic and trade next week, weeks after being closed due to the collapse of Syria’s late Assad regime.

Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Turki Muhammad Khalaf, the district mayor of the Iraqi border town, Al-Qaim – neighbouring Syria’s own border town of Al Bukamal – stated that “if there are no problems, traffic at the border crossing will return to normal next week”.

Following the rapid rebel advance throughout Syria last month and the subsequent downfall of former president Bashar Al-Assad and his late regime on 8 December, Iraqi authorities temporarily closed the border crossing due to alleged security concerns. It was reopened for a short time on 19 December to enable the return of almost 2,000 soldiers of the former Syrian regime, but has since remained shut.

Khalaf said he expected that “the crossing will return to normal within ten days, in light of the stability of the situation on the Syrian side and the absence of any worrying problems”, referring to the new Syrian authorities’ stabilisation of its rule and the country’s security situation.

The mayor added, however, that the border crossing will only facilitate the return of Iraqis stranded in Syria and the return of Syrians currently in Iraq, but that Syrian citizens will not be permitted to enter Iraq at this current time.

Iraq denies halting crude oil exports to Syria