Iraq’s main border crossing with Syria is expected to be reopened within days for travellers and goods, Iraqi officials told The National on Monday. It is a sign of a warming of ties between Baghdad and Damascus which have been cool since the interim government took power last month.
Al Qaim border crossing, in Anbar province about 400km west of Baghdad, was closed last month when Hayat Tahrir Al Sham-led Syrian rebels captured the Albukamal crossing on the Syrian side of eastern Deir Ezzor province. The move was part of a rapid offensive that ended with entry into Damascus and the toppling of Bashar Al Assad's regime.
“Al Qaim border crossing is ready and there are no problems from our side,” Turki Mohammad Khalaf, the mayor of Al Qaim border town, said. “We are ready at any moment to reopen it for both goods and travellers.”
The Syrian side has been working on rehabilitating the Albukamal crossing after it was vandalised during rebel military operations, he said. “We are expecting to be reopened in a week or so,” Mr Khalaf said.
A senior official with the Iraqi Border Points Commission said the Al Qaim border crossing will be reopened to traffic “within the coming days”.
Regional and western delegations have been flocking to Damascus where the interim government is trying to normalise relations with countries, particularly Syria's neighbours.
Iraq has cautiously welcomed the regime change in Syria and is calling for an inclusive political process. However, it has expressed concerns over the continuing situation in Syria, warning of the danger of a resurgent ISIS. Iraqi officials have warned that the numbers of extremist group's militants have increased and that they have seized more weapons.
Last month, Iraq sent a senior security delegation led by the Head of the Intelligence Service Hamid Al Shatri who met HTS leader and the Commander of Syria's new administration Ahmad Al Shara. They discussed several security-related issues, particularly the borders.
ISIS overran large parts of Iraq and Syria, in the summer of 2014, declaring a caliphate that took in large areas of both countries. During that time, it led a campaign of widespread and systematic abuses of international human rights and humanitarian law.
Iraqi troops, backed by a US-led international coalition, reclaimed all ISIS-held territory in Iraq in late 2017, after three years of fighting. However, ISIS fighters still carry out sporadic attacks, mainly in rural areas. The US has about 900 troops left in north-eastern Syria who have the responsibility of fighting ISIS.
HTS has been working on returning to the country to a sense of normality, urging Syrians abroad, some displaced for more than a decade, to return to their homeland. It also allowed former Syrian soldiers who served under Mr Al Assad's regime to reconcile their status with the interim government. More than 2,000 Syrian troops crossed into Iraq with their weapons and equipment last month, fleeing the rebel offensive. Baghdad later said it had begun returning them.
Life in Damascus has been steadily returning to normal. Schools have reopened and social services are being restored. Foreign embassies are also reopening. Damascus International Airport is scheduled to re-open on Tuesday.
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
GROUPS AND FIXTURES
Group A
UAE, Italy, Japan, Spain
Group B
Egypt, Iran, Mexico, Russia
Tuesday
4.15pm: Italy v Japan
5.30pm: Spain v UAE
6.45pm: Egypt v Russia
8pm: Iran v Mexico
Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5
MATCH INFO
Crawley Town 3 (Tsaroulla 50', Nadesan 53', Tunnicliffe 70')
Leeds United 0
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
The specs: McLaren 600LT
Price, base: Dh914,000
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 600hp @ 7,500rpm
Torque: 620Nm @ 5,500rpm
Fuel economy 12.2.L / 100km
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How has net migration to UK changed?
The figure was broadly flat immediately before the Covid-19 pandemic, standing at 216,000 in the year to June 2018 and 224,000 in the year to June 2019.
It then dropped to an estimated 111,000 in the year to June 2020 when restrictions introduced during the pandemic limited travel and movement.
The total rose to 254,000 in the year to June 2021, followed by steep jumps to 634,000 in the year to June 2022 and 906,000 in the year to June 2023.
The latest available figure of 728,000 for the 12 months to June 2024 suggests levels are starting to decrease.
THE BIO
Favourite book: ‘Purpose Driven Life’ by Rick Warren
Favourite travel destination: Switzerland
Hobbies: Travelling and following motivational speeches and speakers
Favourite place in UAE: Dubai Museum
Scoreline
Syria 1-1 Australia
Syria Al Somah 85'
Australia Kruse 40'
Total eligible population
About 57.5 million people
51.1 million received a jab
6.4 million have not
Where are the unvaccinated?
England 11%
Scotland 9%
Wales 10%
Northern Ireland 14%
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How Islam's view of posthumous transplant surgery changed
Transplants from the deceased have been carried out in hospitals across the globe for decades, but in some countries in the Middle East, including the UAE, the practise was banned until relatively recently.
Opinion has been divided as to whether organ donations from a deceased person is permissible in Islam.
The body is viewed as sacred, during and after death, thus prohibiting cremation and tattoos.
One school of thought viewed the removal of organs after death as equally impermissible.
That view has largely changed, and among scholars and indeed many in society, to be seen as permissible to save another life.
SPECS
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Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
