Syria to reopen Al-Yarubiyah Border Crossing with Iraq in May

Shafaq News- Baghdad/ Al-Hasakah

Syrian customs officials visited the
Al-Yarubiyah border crossing with Iraq in Al-Hasakah province on Tuesday to
assess rehabilitation progress ahead of a planned reopening in May, according
to the Syrian General Authority for Borders and Customs.

The inspection covered infrastructure
maintenance works being carried out by the authority’s facilities and
maintenance directorate, including the rehabilitation of service facilities,
improvement of internal roads and yards, and upgrades to passenger halls and
customs areas. The authority confirmed that rehabilitation and maintenance
works are expected to conclude within the coming period, with the crossing set
to open at the beginning of May. The reopening aims to support trade movement,
strengthen economic ties, and facilitate the movement of citizens through the
crossing.

The Al-Yarubiyah crossing, located in Al-Hasakah
province in northeastern Syria opposite the Iraqi Rabia crossing in Nineveh
province, has been repeatedly opened and closed in recent years due to
fluctuating security conditions along the Iraq-Syria border, including remnants
of ISIS activity, military operations in northeastern Syria, and concerns over
smuggling and unauthorized crossings. The crossing has also been affected by
shifts in control on the Syrian side, which falls within territory held by the
Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), as well as ongoing coordination challenges
between Baghdad, Damascus, and local authorities in the Kurdistan Region of
Iraq.

The authority said the rehabilitation effort is
part of a broader plan to restore and upgrade Syria’s border crossings in line
with current operational requirements.