Newsletters
Direct international road transport between Türkiye and Syria has resumed after a 13-year suspension, with the first trucks crossing the Cilvegozu Border Gate this week, Turkish Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu announced Friday.
"Four trucks traveled from Mersin to Aleppo, and three trucks went from Idlib to Mersin through the Cilvegozu Border Gate yesterday," Uraloglu said in a written statement, marking the end of more than a decade of transfer-required shipping between the two countries.
The direct transport service was suspended in 2011 due to internal conflicts in Syria. For years, cargo had to be transferred at border crossings rather than traveling directly to final destinations.
Uraloglu stated that the process to restart direct transport commenced following developments in Syria in December 2024. A memorandum of understanding on road transport cooperation was signed with Syria during the Global Transport Corridors Forum held in Istanbul from June 27-29.
A technical-level meeting was conducted at the Cilvegozu Border Gate on July 9 to determine crossing conditions, the minister said.
1 min read
"Turkish and Syrian-plated vehicles will now reach their destinations directly without needing to transfer cargo at the border," Uraloglu said.
The minister reported a 50% increase in transport to Syria when comparing August 2024 to August 2025, with expectations that this trend will continue growing.
"With the reopening of the Syria route, transportation from cities like Hatay, Gaziantep and Mersin to Jordan and Saudi Arabia will become faster," Uraloglu said, adding: "This step will bring vitality not only to our exporters but also to the regional economy."
2 min read
