Iraq to reopen border for trade, tourism with Syria

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Iraq will reopen a major border crossing with Syria on Monday for trade and tourism, an official confirmed on Saturday.

The border crossing links al-Boukamal in Syria's Deir ez-Zor governorate with al-Qaim in Iraq's western Anbar province.

"Last night [Friday], the Iraqi Council of Ministers agreed for the reopening of Qaim crossing in Anbar province on Monday for trade, the importation and exportation of goods and services from Iraq to Syria, and the other way around, as well as for tourism," Aladin Qaysi, director of Iraq’s Border Crossing Board Relations, told Rudaw on Saturday.

The border crossing was closed in 2014 when Islamic State (ISIS) militants obliterated the frontier and established its so-called caliphate over large swathes of Syria and Iraq. The group was declared defeated in Iraq in late 2017 and in Syria in March 2019. Security forces on both sides of the border, however, continue to conduct regular operations against small pockets of ISIS militants and sleeper cells.

A year ago, Iraq’s and Syria’s foreign ministers announced that the opening of the border crossing was “imminent.” https://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/151020181 Technical problems, however, delayed the process.

"This time, we will not delay the reopening of the crossing. The reason why we kept delaying the opening in the past was we did not have scanning devices for inspection. This issue is now resolved,” said Qaysi. “Now, all the preparations have finished.”

He added that security measures have been taken to protect the border crossing and the roads.

"The security situation of Qaim in general is very good," Qaysi said.

There are three other crossings connecting Iraq and Syria. Two are within territory held by Kurdish forces on the Syrian side: Fishkhabur, also known as Semelka, is located in the north, within the Kurdistan Region’s borders on the Iraqi side, and Rabia. The third is at at-Tanf, known as al-Waleed in Iraq.