AMMAN, Oct 15, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – The main border crossing between Jordan and
war-torn Syria is to reopen on Monday for the first time in three years,
Jordanian authorities said.
The Jaber crossing, known as Nassib on the Syrian side, was a key route
for Middle East trade before Amman closed it after the post was overrun by
rebels and sealed in April 2015.
Jordanian government spokeswoman Jumana Ghneimat announced “the reopening
on Monday of the border crossing”.
Syria’s Interior Minister Mohammed al-Shaar confirmed the border would
reopen on Monday and said a joint technical committee met on the eve to
discuss preparatory measures, according to Damascus’s official news agency
SANA.
Rehabilitation work on roads leading up to the crossing have begun to
restore traffic, SANA said.
The reopening comes after Syrian government troops retook their side of
the crossing in July under a deal with rebel fighters brokered by Moscow.
The crossing was a key link not only for direct trade between the
neighbouring countries but also for longer-distance transit, which was a
signficant source of revenue.
After seven years of civil war, Syria’s government has recaptured large
swathes of territory from rebels with backing from Russia, but it still only
controls around half the 19 crossing points with neighbours Lebanon, Jordan,
Iraq and Turkey.