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Coordination and integration at border crossings between Türkiye and Syria is advancing rapidly, and the bilateral transit transport agreement will become fully operational this month, said Mazen Alloush, director of public relations at the Syrian General Authority for Land and Sea Ports.
“We hold meetings with Turkish officials almost weekly. When a problem arises, we establish mutual communication and resolve it within our means,” he told Anadolu Agency.
Expressing gratitude for Ankara’s support to Damascus “since liberation,” Alloush said cooperation continues in trade, transportation, and border management.
He said implementation has begun under the transit transport agreement signed in Istanbul in August, and the current transshipment system for freight traffic will end in November.
Alloush said Syrian drivers will be issued visas by the Turkish Consulate in Aleppo within 10 days, and Turkish drivers will be able to obtain visas directly at the border gate.
He also noted that Turkish authorities recently made a preliminary decision to allow Syrians with dual citizenship to enter Türkiye using Syrian-plated vehicles, with implementation to begin soon.
Emphasizing that Syria’s transport fleet will expand in the coming period, Alloush said the goal is for Syrian drivers to reach Russia, Georgia, Ukraine, Europe, and Gulf countries by land again via Türkiye.
He added that “Turkish brothers continue to support Syria to the best of their capabilities.”
Alloush said new radar systems have been installed at Damascus International Airport, enabling night takeoffs and landings.
He stressed that humanitarian aid trucks are passing through Türkiye without issues and said Ankara has “provided significant facilities” in this regard.
Reviewing developments since Syria was “liberated from the Baath regime” on Dec. 8, 2024, Alloush said all land border crossings and seaports had been destroyed at that time.
The Nasib crossing with Jordan and the newly opened Tiyyas crossing with Lebanon, along with the ports of Latakia and Tartus, are now operational, he said.
He noted that infrastructure and electronic systems have been renewed and that more than 3 million tons of fuel have been imported.
A total of 333 ships entered and exited Latakia port, and more than 700 ships used Tartus port. Since Dec. 8, a total of 110,000 containers have been handled at the ports, he said.
Alloush said the main exports were phosphate and live animals, while other products were exported in limited quantities. He added that these items will be disclosed in the financial report and said there are no restrictions on legal imports.
Alloush said corruption, bribery, and smuggling were widespread at ports during the previous regime, but the system has since been dismantled.
He said services are now free of charge, and “it is forbidden to give gifts or bribes to any official.”
Calling smuggling a major issue under the old regime, he said authorities broke the narcotics route that originated from the Nasib border crossing and prevented more than five large shipments.
Attempts from the Lebanese border continue, he noted, adding that K9 narcotics teams and advanced screening systems are deployed at all gates.
Alloush said modernization of X-ray systems—“which were not working or did not exist during the ousted regime”—has accelerated, with 20 new machines coming into service and all crossings to be equipped with world-class technology.
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He also addressed Syrians crossing into Türkiye by land, recalling that visit permits for Syrians under temporary protection have been temporarily suspended by Türkiye.
“We are in constant communication on this matter. It is a humanitarian issue. Efforts to find a solution are ongoing,” he said.
Alloush said a partial solution had been implemented for Syrians with dual citizenship seeking to bring their vehicles to Syria. Under the new regulation, Syrians with second citizenship in Türkiye or another country can bring their vehicles to Syria using their passport.
Proof of Syrian citizenship is required, and even expired passports are accepted, he said.
He added that the security deposit at border crossings for vehicle entry has been reduced from $50 to $15, calling it an important step toward facilitating crossings.
“Our gates are wide open to our people. We are building modern international transit corridors on the ruins of the old gates,” he said. “Next year, all of Syria’s borders will be fully equipped, economically active, and operating under a single standard.”
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