Shafaq News- Baghdad/ Al-Hasakah

Syrian customs officials visited the Al-Yarubiyah border crossing with Iraq in Al-Hasakah province on Tuesday to assess rehabilitation progress ahead of a planned reopening in May, according to the Syrian General Authority for Borders and Customs.

The inspection covered infrastructure maintenance works being carried out by the authority's facilities and maintenance directorate, including the rehabilitation of service facilities, improvement of internal roads and yards, and upgrades to passenger halls and customs areas. The authority confirmed that rehabilitation and maintenance works are expected to conclude within the coming period, with the crossing set to open at the beginning of May. The reopening aims to support trade movement, strengthen economic ties, and facilitate the movement of citizens through the crossing.

The Al-Yarubiyah crossing, located in Al-Hasakah province in northeastern Syria opposite the Iraqi Rabia crossing in Nineveh province, has been repeatedly opened and closed in recent years due to fluctuating security conditions along the Iraq-Syria border, including remnants of ISIS activity, military operations in northeastern Syria, and concerns over smuggling and unauthorized crossings. The crossing has also been affected by shifts in control on the Syrian side, which falls within territory held by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), as well as ongoing coordination challenges between Baghdad, Damascus, and local authorities in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

The authority said the rehabilitation effort is part of a broader plan to restore and upgrade Syria's border crossings in line with current operational requirements.