Kurdistan Region-Rojava border crossing open for stranded civilians and trade: official

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The manager of the Faysh Khabur (Peshkhabour) border crossing told Kurdistan 24 that the border between the Kurdistan Region and northeast Syria will be reopened on Monday for civilians who are stranded on both sides and for trade.

"A mechanism to grant permissions is yet to be established for those who wish to visit Kurdistan Region or those who wish to travel to Rojava (Syrian Kurdistan), and that such mechanism is expected to be implemented in the coming days," Shawkat Barbahari, the crossing manager, told Kurdistan 24 on Monday.

The KRG shut down the Faysh Khabur-Semalka border crossing in December following tensions there.

Lawk Ghafuri, the Head of Foreign Media Relations of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Council of Ministers, confirmed in a tweet on Sunday that the border crossing would "reopen tomorrow for trade."

Read More: Kurdistan-northeast Syria border crossing to open soon: sources

He added that a full resumption of all activities at the crossing is expected in the "coming days" as AANES (Autonomous Administration of Northeast Syria) authorities deal with tensions on their side of the border.

Protestors in December stormed the AANES side, demanding the KRG hand over the bodies of two Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) fighters. However, the KRG said they do not have the bodies of the dead.

The demonstrators held a sit-in near the border for several days, even until recently, despite the KRG demanding them to be removed. Confrontations in December led to multiple border guards being injured.

Nevertheless, the KRG made exceptions to allow humanitarians and Syrians to return to or leave Syria after the closure. 

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Moreover, the KRG allowed some humanitarian aid and wheat to be transported to northeast Syria.