Iraq reopened the Rabia border crossing with Syria after more than a decade, in a move that aims to boost fuel shipments during a global crisis sparked by the Iran war.
The reopening provides an opportunity for both countries to ease trade. Officials from the countries discussed how to improve transit and co-ordination "in line with shared interests", Syria's state-run Sana news agency reported.
Iraqi Border Ports Authority chief Omar Al Waeli described the crossing as a "strategic border port" and said the move to reopen it would ease pressure on fuel shipments, allowing more lorries to cross between the countries.
In 2013, control of the town on the Syrian side of the border switched between rebel groups, as well as Kurdish fighters. With the loss of the state control over the crossing, it ceased to function normally, yet was still used by the UN.
In July 2014, it became a humanitarian entry point, allowing aid to enter Syria without approval of the government of former president Bashar Al Assad. In 2019, the World Health Organisation used the crossing to ship 210 tonnes of medical supplies into north-eastern Syria.
Relations between Iraq and Syria have been strained since Hayat Tahrir Al Sham led a rebel offensive that toppled the Assad regime in December 2024. Iraq is sceptical of the government that took charge, owing to its past links to extremism.
But with the Strait of Hormuz effectively blocked, Iraq, which relies on oil for about 90 per cent of its budget, struck a deal with Damascus this month to export crude using land routes.
Before the civil war erupted in Syria in 2011, hundreds of lorries would pass between the countries each day. Iraq sent mostly refined fuel to Syria, while Damascus exported consumer goods, as well as essentials such as clothing and hygiene products.
Iraqi crude will be shipped from Mediterranean sites such as Baniyas and Tartus to Europe and elsewhere. The route is slower and more costly than pipelines, but provides a workable stopgap. Syria stands to gain financially through transit fees and port charges at Baniyas and Tartus.
