Nineveh prepares to restore the Rabia border crossing

Shafaq News- Nineveh

The Iraqi Nineveh province started administrative and technical preparations to rehabilitate and develop the Rabia border crossing, Governor Abdul Qader Al-Dakhil stated on Tuesday.

Speaking to Shafaq News, Al-Dakhil said the move follows the Syrian army’s regaining control of areas opposite the crossing inside Syrian territory, after the withdrawal of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) from those areas. Al-Dakhil explained that the current phase will involve basic upgrading measures to prepare the crossing for operation, noting that “reopening the border post ultimately depends on central and political decisions between the Iraqi and Syrian governments.”

However, he clarified that the work is ongoing “to ensure the crossing is ready for reopening at any time once a bilateral agreement is reached.”

The governor also pointed to longer-term plans to establish a modern and fully regulated border crossing on a larger site than the current location in the Rabia area, adding that such a project would require a longer implementation period.

The Rabia border crossing has remained closed for many years after the SDF took control of areas opposite the crossing in Syria, despite its importance as a key gateway linking Nineveh province and Iraq with Syria. The SDF withdrew from the crossing and nearby areas last month under a previous agreement with the Syrian government in Damascus.