Baghdad (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – As part of attempts to normalise relations and reestablish commercial links between the two nations, Iraq has formally reopened the Qaim border crossing with Syria for commerce and passenger travel, a spokeswoman for the Iraqi border administration said on Saturday.
“The Qaim crossing is now fully operational for both cargo trucks and civilian movement,”
According to Reuters; the spokesman said that the reopening came after Iraqi and Syrian officials had carried out joint security assessments.
Why has Iraq reopened the Qaim crossing with Syria?
Three months have passed since Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani asked Iraq to begin cross-border commerce during a visit to Baghdad. Following the uprising that overthrew President Bashar al-Assad, the bridge had been closed.
An important step toward enhancing economic cooperation between Iraq and Syria was taken on Saturday when the first Syrian truck passed inspection and entered the crossing, according to a statement from the Iraqi border crossings office.
“Passenger movement has also resumed in order to ease the burden on Iraqi citizens when travelling in and out of the country,”
The statement said.
“This crossing will serve as a strategic corridor for commodity trade between Iraq and Syria,”
Said Turki al-Mahallawi, mayor of the town of al-Qaim, where the border post is located.
Is this a sign of stronger Iraq-Syria relations?
The reopening is also interpreted as an indication of improved relations between Baghdad and the new Syrian government, led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who has worked to restore trade and diplomatic links with neighbours in the area. Since al-Sharaa assumed office last year, Iraqi officials claim the two administrations have increased their collaboration on economic facilitation and border security.
What security issues caused the 2024 border closure?
The Al-Qaim border crossing between Iraq and Syria was closed in December 2024 for security reasons caused by clashes in the area and the withdrawal of Syrian government forces following a rebel offensive that resulted in the collapse of the Assad regime.
During this period, about 1,500 Syrian government soldiers passed through into Iraq and surrendered, and the border was heavily fortified and monitored by Iraqi forces for security. The closure was also a response to the instability of the security situation resulting from the rebel advances in Syria.
Comments
7 responses to “Iraq Reopens Qaim Border with Syria After Closure”
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Looks like the Qaim border’s back in business—just what we need, more cargo trucks and holidaymakers crossing into the chaos! 🚚💨 Reminds me of a pub reopening after a brawl—everyone’s keen, but do we really expect a quiet pint? 🍻
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Finally, a border crossing open for business! Guess the “situation” in Syria is as stable as a wobbly table at a dodgy pub. 🍻
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Looks like Iraq and Syria decided they’d rather trade than throw pixie dust at each other. Can’t wait for the Qaim border to become the next hot spot for ‘EU-approved’ travel, innit? 😏🚛
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Finally, the Qaim border is back in action—let’s hope they’ve got more than just shovels and wheelbarrows for this ‘strategic corridor’! 🚧 Maybe they’ll even throw in a complimentary cup of tea for the passengers, just to sweeten the deal. ☕️🇮🇶🇸🇾
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Reopening a border after a three-month hiatus? Must be a new trend in modern diplomacy—who needs stability when you’ve got a border crossing to manage! 🚚💼
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Looks like the Qaim border’s back in business—who knew all it took was a few security assessments and a sprinkle of political charm? 🤷♂️ Just what we need, more ways to ship goods between two places that can’t seem to keep their act together.
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Looks like the Qaim border is back in business, just when you thought they were taking a permanent holiday! 😏 Next, we’ll be ordering kebabs from Syria like it’s just another Tuesday, right? 🍢
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Oh, brilliant idea! Let’s open the border like it’s a Sunday market—because who doesn’t love a good game of “Will I get through without being inspected?” 😂
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