Crippling local economy: Strategic Iraq-Syria border crossing remains shut
Shafaq News/ The strategic al-Qaim border crossing between Iraq and Syria remains closed, dealing a heavy blow to the economy of Iraq's western border province of al-Anbar, according to local officials who are pressing Baghdad to intervene.
Al-Qaim's district administrator, Turki Muhammad Khalaf, told Shafaq News that the crossing is 'completely shut down at the moment, except for trucks carrying wheat as humanitarian aid to Syria.' He warned that 'this ongoing closure has deeply hurt the district's economy, which depends almost entirely on trade through this vital lifeline.'
Khalaf said that the final decision to reopen the crossing rests with the Prime Minister's Office, urging the federal government to act quickly and restore trade flows. 'Reopening al-Qaim is crucial to bringing life back to the local economy, which is facing a clear downturn because of the stalled trade with Syria,' he added.
The crossing's prolonged closure follows the collapse of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government last December and the subsequent withdrawal of Syrian forces from al-Bukamal, the town opposite al-Qaim on the Syrian side. Only Iraqis returning from Syria have been allowed to cross since.
For Iraq, the stakes are high. Al-Qaim crossing has long been a key trade hub, with bilateral commerce exceeding $1B in 2024, according to the Iraqi-Syrian Business Council. Last month, Syria's port and land border authority confirmed that talks to reopen both al-Bukamal and al-Qaim crossings are in advanced stages.
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