The Iraqi Ministry of Interior confirmed the success of security efforts in closing the file of border gaps with Syria, announcing the tightening of full control over the 618-kilometer strip from the Iraqi-Syrian-Jordanian triangle to the Turkish border in the north, in a step described as a strategic development that enhances the country's security and prevents infiltration and smuggling, especially as it coincides with the reopening of land crossings between the two countries this April.
The ministry's spokesman, Colonel Abbas al-Bahadli, explained in a statement to the Iraqi News Agency "Waa" on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, that the border forces in the second and sixth regions, with the support of the Commando Brigade, continue their tasks despite the difficult weather conditions, pointing out that the fortification included a border trench, earthen berms, smart observation towers and thermal cameras that work in various conditions.
The achievement serves as a security barrier that prevents any breaches that may affect the stability of western provinces, and "cuts off the supply routes of terrorist groups and the smuggling of drugs and illegal goods", the Iraqi Border Forces Command said.
Opening of Iraq-Syria border crossings
The opening of the border crossings between Iraq and Syria in April 2026 was of a broad strategic and economic nature, as it came as a solution to regional logistical crises and to support the vision of the "Development Road" aimed at linking the Gulf to Turkey through Iraqi and Syrian territory, and this opening restored this vital opening to land trade routes after years of closure and unrest.
The Iraqi government has directed to set up special facilities for the entry of food and medicine goods through ports with Syria in support of food security, and the Iraqi Oil Company "SOMO" has resorted to using land routes through Syria as an alternative to exporting oil after navigation in the Strait of Hormuz was affected. The two sides agreed to rehabilitate the road network to ensure the smooth flow of trucks.
Rabia – Al Yarubiya Port (Opened 20 April 2026)
Reopened after a 13-year closure, it is returning as one of the most important land ports between the two countries, with an estimated capacity of about 1000 trucks per day in its first phase, making it a major hub to relieve pressure on the Al-Waleed crossing.
It aims to accelerate Iraqi fuel oil exports by land to Syria, amid shipping disruptions in the Gulf, and is a key pillar of the "Development Road" project that connects the Gulf to Turkey via Iraq and Syria.
Alwaleed – Al-Tanf Port (opened on 2 April 2026)
Its inauguration saw the passage of 299 Iraqi fuel tankers towards the Syrian Banias refinery, in a sign of the return of heavy commercial activity.
The port is located on the highway linking Baghdad and Damascus, making it a major artery for the movement of passengers and goods. It was inaugurated with a joint field tour for port officials in the two countries to review the readiness of the infrastructure.
Albu Kamal – Al-Qaim Crossing
The crossing is currently the most active between the two countries, and it has witnessed a great recovery since its reopening on June 14, 2025, and it operates around the clock in front of the movement of passengers and trucks, with commercial activity that includes Syrian food and industrial exports in exchange for Iraqi imports of raw materials, and the authorities of the two countries are working to transform it into a "smart customs" that adopts digital tracking systems, to become part of a strategic land corridor that extends from Tehran to Beirut through Baghdad and Damascus.
The Fishkhabur-Simalka river crossing is also used to transport goods and humanitarian needs between the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and Hasakah province, making the shared border between the two countries more organized than ever.