Shafaq News- Damascus

Imports from Iraqi Kurdistan through the Semalka border crossing in Syria’s Al-Hasakah province declined following the implementation of new procedures by Syria’s General Authority for Border Crossings and Customs, a source at the crossing told Shafaq News on Monday.

Dozens of traders have halted imports via Semalka and shifted to other Syrian crossings with Turkiye and Iraq, the source said, adding that activity has dropped by about half over the past three weeks compared with previous years.

Farhad Youssef, a customs broker, told our agency that the unified customs system imposed by the Syrian government includes strict restrictions on the entry of certain goods, along with extensive documentation requirements, at a time when state institutions in Hasakah are not fully operational.

“The new measures prompted brokers and shipping companies to take collective strike action starting today, halting cargo entry until further notice.”

According to Youssef, a meeting is expected between customs brokers, traders, and crossing authorities to discuss the procedures and seek solutions to facilitate trade with the Region.

Semalka previously operated under a customs system linked to the Autonomous Administration in northeast Syria before being brought under the Syrian government as part of the January 29 agreement between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Damascus, implemented in mid-April.

On April 20, the Al-Yarubiyah–Rabia crossing with Iraq reopened after nearly 13 years of near-total closure due to security conditions and military operations in the region, becoming the third land route between Syria and Iraq following the earlier reopening of Al-Qaim–Al-Bukamal and Al-Waleed–Al-Tanf crossings.