Jordan and Syria reopen main border crossing after 3 years

The crossing was a key link for direct trade between the neighbouring countries and also for longer-distance transit trade between Lebanon and the Gulf.
2 min read
15 October, 2018
Jordan on Monday reopened its main border crossing with war-torn Syria. [Getty]

Jordan on Monday reopened its main border crossing with war-torn Syria, a key Middle East trade route, after a three year closure.

The Nassib crossing opened at 8am (0500 GMT), a border official on the Jordanian side told Reuters, with little traffic hours later other than a group of Jordanian traders and Syrian businessmen.

Jordan and Syria agreed to open the border to all vehicles, Petra reported on Monday, having previously said normal traffic would not be allowed until a later date.

"We are fully ready to receive passengers and transport of goods," Imad Riyalat, head of the Jaber crossing, told Reuters. "We expect the traffic to be slow now at the start, but in coming days we expect passenger movement to pick up."

The border crossing, known as Jaber on the Jordanian side and Nassib on the Syrian side, was a key trade route before Amman closed it after the post was overrun by rebels in April 2015.

The reopening comes after Syrian regime troops retook their side of the crossing in July under a deal with rebel fighters brokered by Moscow.

Before it was shut the crossing was a major link not only for direct trade between the neighbouring countries but also for longer-distance transit, which was a significant source of revenue.

Its closure strained the economy of Jordan - a desert kingdom with little resources which is heavily reliant on imports and foreign aid.

The crossing is also vital for Syria's neighbour Lebanon, providing its agricultural products a route to foreign markets.

Jordanian government spokeswoman Jumana Ghneimat said Sunday that the decision to reopen the border was taken after "Jordanian and Syrian technical teams agreed on the final measures".

Syria also requested that Jordan send an expert to help with border checks at Nassib where there are no X-ray machines, according to the terms of the agreement.

The accord stipulated that travellers entering Jordan from Syria "must obtain prior to their trip a security permit" from Jordanian authorities.

And those who plan to use Jordan as a transit stop en route to a third country must show proof of their residency permit in Syria as well as an entry visa to the country they plan to visit.

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