Iraqi PM approves reopening al-Qa'im border crossing with Syria

Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi has authorized the reopening of the al-Qa'im border crossing with Syria as both countries manage to restore security to the region.

The Iraqi state news agency INA quoted the Arab country's border agency chief as saying on Friday that the crossing will be opened for travelers and trade on Monday.

The crossing, which connects the town of al-Qa'im in Iraq's Anbar Province to the Syrian city of Bukamal in Syria's Dayr al-Zawr Province, was closed in 2013 to support Iraqi forces in their fight against al-Qaeda militants and later Daesh terrorists.

Al-Qa'im and Bukamal lie on a strategic supply route and the crossing between them had only been open to government or military traffic.

The planned opening of the border crossing comes at a time that both Syrian and Iraqi governments have mostly purged their countries of Takfiri terrorist outfits.

In October 2018, the Nassib crossing border crossing between Jordan and Syria opened to people and goods after being closed for three years.

SS