Iraq and Syria to reopen Semalka border crossing after 3 week closure

The Semalka Border Crossing between Iraq and Syria is set to reopen on Monday after being closed since May, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on Saturday.

The Semalka administration announced that work will be resumed at the border crossing for humanitarian organizations and specific personnel only and will operate three days a week, as per the old mechanism, including Saturday, Monday and Wednesday.

According to the announcement, those allowed to cross are employees of organizations, journalists, holders of foreign residency and nationalities, residents of the Kurdistan region, patients and newly married women.

Commercial movement remains suspended at the present time, the Observatory reported.

The Semalka crossing, located in the Al-Hasakah governorate, connects the Kurdistan Regional Government in Iraq and the Kurdish-led Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria. It lies north of Faysh Khabur in Iraq and Khanik in Syria.

Several meetings took place in recent days between mediators and officials in the Kurdistan region of Iraq to reopen the crossing, which was closed suddenly on May 11, suspending commercial traffic between the two regions.

The crossing is used to transport patients suffering from incurable diseases and to facilitate the process of commercial movement between the two regions, as well as visitors, especially from abroad. It was also closed last year.