Jordan, Syria say border to reopen

The border crossing between Jordan and Syria will officially reopen today after being closed for three years, the two countries said yesterday, though it will not be open to normal traffic immediately.

The Syrian government retook the area around the border crossing at Nassib in July during a weeks-long Russian-backed offensive to drive rebels from their stronghold in southwest Syria.

The closure of the Nassib crossing in 2015 cut a crucial transit route for hundreds of trucks a day transporting goods between Turkey and the Gulf, and Lebanon and the Gulf, in multi-billion dollar annual trade.

Since then, Syria’s only normally operating frontier crossing has been with Lebanon, which itself has no other functioning borders.

The frontier with Turkey is still closed into Syrian government-held areas, and open only into territory controlled by rebels.

Near Syria’s border with Iraq, a US military has closed the main Damascus-Baghdad highway, though there is a smaller crossing at Albu Kamal further east that is presently open only for government or military traffic.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari arrived in Damascus yesterday for a three-day visit.

The two countries have previously said they want to reopen their frontier.

As Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has taken more territory inside Syria, normal internal traffic has resumed between most big cities, easing the movement of goods and people and bringing an economic boost in government-held areas.

Technical teams from Syria and Jordan met on the Jordanian side yesterday and agreed on the final arrangements to open the crossing from Oct 15, said Jordanian government spokeswoman Jumana Ghunaimat.

However, although the crossing will be officially opened today, it will not open to normal traffic just yet, said Nael Husami, head of the Amman chamber of industry.

Syrian state television also cited Interior Minister Mohamed al-Shaar as saying the border crossing and roads leading to it were being renovated.

Opening the border will also be important for Lebanon, which relies on Syria for overland connections to all other countries because its only other frontier is with Israel, with which it has no ties.

In July, Lebanese caretaker economy minister Raed Khoury said it was vital for Lebanese exporters to be able once again to send produce overland through Syria to the wider region.

Lebanese exports fell by 35% after the Syrian conflict began, Khoury said.