A crucial border passage linking Iraq and Syria resumed operations Monday after remaining closed for more than ten years, with government representatives emphasizing its importance for commercial activity and petroleum shipments.
The border point, called Rabia on the Iraqi side and Yarubiyah in Syria, ceased functioning when Syria’s civil conflict erupted in 2011. ISIS fighters later captured the location in 2014 before Kurdish forces from Iraq eventually regained control.
According to Syria’s official SANA news service, representatives from both nations met at the border facility to explore ways to enhance cooperation and streamline commercial movement “in line with shared interests.”
Nadia al-Jubouri, who serves on Iraq’s Nineveh provincial council, stated during the reopening ceremony that the restored crossing will enable “trade exchange and oil transportation toward this great gate.”
Iraq depends on petroleum sales for approximately 90% of its national budget, with the majority of its oil currently shipped through the Strait of Hormuz. This narrow waterway at the Persian Gulf’s entrance serves as a vital passage for about 20% of global oil shipments.
