Syria’s Nassib border crossing with Jordan will reopen on October 10, said Syria’s state media reports. With the trade captured from the rebels, the Syrian government is set to reopen it later this month.
With the rebels closing the important crossing in 2015, the route on which hundreds of trucks transit a day transporting goods between Lebanon, the Gulf and Turkey trade was significantly affected. Syrian government forces had restored control over the route in July this year.
Although an earlier statement from the Syrian government had stated that the Nassib border has been restored and that the movements of goods and trucks has begun, the Jordanian government denied the assertion saying the two sides are still studying the reopening of the border between the two countries.
“Jaber Nassib crossing is still closed. It hasn’t reopened yet for movement of goods and passengers,” said an official statement quoted Jordanian government spokeswoman Joumana Ghonaimat as saying.
After Jordan’s statement of denial, Syrian state media ran a new statement with the transportation ministry saying, “logistic preparations to reopen the crossing are now complete, so that the Nassib border crossing with Jordan will reopen on the tenth of October and start receiving truck and transit traffic.”
Before 2011, the Nassib border crossing saw billions of dollars in annual trade moved through the crossing, in southern Syria. In 2011 when fighting began the route’s closure significantly affected the economies of Syria and its neighbors.
Incidentally, the statement from the Jordanian government,did not mention a specific date for its opening.
In July, Lebanon’s economy minister had said the Nassib border crossing was “a vital artery” for the Lebanese economy.
Thanks to the help of Syria’s Iranian and Russian allies, the Syrian government was able to recover and gain control over vast tracts of territories, only a small rebel stronghold remains.
