Iraq-Syria Rabia crossing reopens after years of closure

Shafaq News- Nineveh

Iraq resumed operations of the Rabia border crossing with Syria, marking what officials described as a significant economic and humanitarian development for Nineveh province, an Iraqi official told Shafaq News on Monday.

The Head of Iraq’s Border Ports Authority, Omar Al-Waeli, said that the crossing serves as a key route within the Development Road project and is expected to support trade activity and strengthen regional connectivity. He added that “the reopening will create thousands of jobs and support government efforts to revive areas west of Nineveh,” noting its humanitarian importance due to close tribal ties across the Iraqi-Syrian border.

The Rabia crossing, located west of Nineveh, links Iraq to the Al-Yarubiyah crossing on the Syrian side, making it a strategic route for the movement of goods and passengers between the two countries.

The crossing resumed commercial operations after years of closure due to security conditions, restoring a key corridor for trade and boosting import and export activity between Baghdad and Damascus.

The reopening of Iraq-Syria border crossings follows years of closures driven by security challenges during the fight against ISIS, as well as shifting control and coordination issues along the frontier. Iraqi and Syrian authorities have gradually rehabilitated several crossings, including Al-Waleed and Al-Yarubiyah, to restore trade routes and facilitate the movement of goods and passengers.