Seventy tankers carrying Iraqi crude oil have arrived at the Rabia border crossing, which reopened in April after 13 years, for subsequent imports into Syria and world markets, the Syrian news agency SANA reported.
The cargo was diverted from Al-Tanf to Al-Yarubia and then along the M4 highway to the Mediterranean port of Banyas.
Iraq reopened the Rabia border crossing with Syria in late April after more than a decade of closure. According to Iraqi border authorities, the decision was made to speed up the export of fuel oil by land and restore cross-border trade amid disruptions to shipping in the Persian Gulf following the conflict with Iran.
With the opening of Rabia, Xinhua noted, all three main crossings between the countries are now operational. Reuters reported that the opening of the crossing will allow the resumption of commercial cargo traffic, which was previously suspended following the conflict in Syria.